Here I Am
by Enchanted Hats
Summary: Sequel to Blind Alley. Darkfic. Mewtwo never wanted to be found. But, as Ash is already painfully aware, we rarely get what we want in this world.
1. Playing the Hero

Here I Am

 **Disclaimers** : I do not own Pokemon. If I did, Ash wouldn't be perpetually ten years old. So there.

 **AN:/** STOP. If you have just happened upon this fanfic, I highly recommend you read this story's prequel, **The Blind Alley** first. If not, a lot of the events in this story may be hard to follow. Consider yourself warned!

* * *

 **Chapter One:** Playing The Hero

You don't have to be a part of this  
I don't think I want you to be  
You don't need this  
You don't need me  
-Zach Callison

 **The Past**

 **D** elia Ketchum lived her pokemon journey by three very simple rules. First, catch as many pokemon as you had pokeballs to carry. Second, always take the path least traveled. And finally, never, ever trust Johnny G.

Delia slid down a narrow embankment with her Pikachu, Joulie, close behind. The woods, lush and full in the prime of summer, were alive with music. The gargle of the fast moving stream, the bird pokemon swaying from the green canopy above their heads, and the feel of the light on her skin. It was hot, but pleasantly so. The perfect weather to hunt the local pokemon wildlife.

Joulie skipped across the river rocks first, her paws barely alighting on one before dancing to the next. As a lanky sixteen-year-old with long legs and oversized feet, Delia crossed without even a quarter of the same grace as her pokemon. Delia balanced on the middle rock when her phone let out an alarmingly loud chime. Luckily, it didn't take the feet out from under her.

She grunted, taking her next leap of faith. She landed on one foot, only just able to keep her equilibrium on the sloped stepping stone. Her sneakers had far less traction than they used to. Delia could feel herself sliding as she leaped from one stone to the next, all while the chirping ringtone kept pace.

Delia jumped the last stone, falling short of the riverbed. She landed messily into calf-deep muddy water, splashing her waiting pikachu. _Oh well. It's just water._ Although, Delia didn't relish the blisters she would get if she unwisely decided to keep marching in wet socks. While Joulie shook herself off, Delia plopped down on the dry riverbank and dug through her fanny pack for her oversized telephone.

She twisted the antenna up and flipped the phone open in one deft motion.

"Delia's phone! Delia Ketchum speaking~!" Delia sang into the receiver while she undid the laces on her muddy sneakers.

There was silence on the other line for two beats. She had already started to kick off her shoes when the person on the other end chose to speak.

"Delia? Is that you?" It was hard to tell through the distorted static but Delia didn't think she recognized the voice.

"Speaking?" She continued more hesitantly.

"You answer your phone just like your voicemail so I… I mean, not that I call your voicemail that—that is—well, it's just like the voicemail greeting I can remember… the last time I called your phone—like a while ago. You know… like _a while_ a while ago."

Now Delia recognized the voice. It was deeper since they'd last spoken. But she only knew one person who stumbled over his words around her as much as he did. It might have been endearing. She might have even encouraged it, enjoyed it. But instead, having spent years with him as her fellow traveling companion, it only served to aggravate her.

Still, she listened patiently. It'd be no good to interrupt him. That only seemed to embarrass him further. Delia peeled off her sodden socks, tossing them aside. They fell in a lumpy clump not far from where Joulie was resting. She took some interest in them, sniffing and pawing at the moist tuffs of fabric.

Delia pressed her phone into her chest, waving Joulie off them. "Hey no. No, Joulie. Those aren't yours."

Joulie huffed but reluctantly obeyed, settling back down on a comfortable bit of dirt nearby. Only when Delia was certain Joulie wouldn't return for the socks did she return her attention to the phone.

"Sorry, Johnny. My pikachu…Um… wait. Why are you calling me?"

There was an uneasy pause on the line. Delia could hear him breathing, sucking in shallow breaths for courage, perhaps. He was always hopeless around her, even when they traveled together. And though she pretended like she didn't know, she did. Delia knew why.

She knew he liked her. Johnny confessed shortly after her fourteenth birthday. It was a ridiculously awkward affair. She had come home briefly, enjoying cooking in the hot kitchen with her father and letting her mother shower her with presents she didn't want or need. Dresses, perfume, jewelry—things a pokemon trainer would have no use for. But she enjoyed dressing up just for a little while, pretending that she'd grow into what her parents hoped.

It was there on the front porch as the sun set lazily in the background that Johnny spilled his guts. How he had the crush since they were children… (they were _still_ children, Delia thought but didn't interrupt). How he had tried to fight his feelings, to think better of them. But they hadn't changed. They, stubborn things that they were, only grew stronger. Like a horrible monster that devoured sense and reason.

As he groveled before her, Delia was struck with the horror of it. She didn't feel… anything. She didn't dislike him but certainly didn't hold anything equal to the adorous emotions he was heaping upon her.

Her first instinct was towards sympathy. But she had always been pitying him. Since she had first met him, first came into the knowledge of the well-known secret of his inheritance. Johnny was born from a loveless marriage, cruelly calculated into producing a male heir of certain pedigree. He was wealthy and would want for nothing. The fact that he happened to be heir to a criminal pokemon enterprise was just icing on the (disappointing) metaphorical cake.

Delia knew all this because her family warned her against associating with him. Delia knew this because everyone she had ever known warned her about Johnny G. She had been more than willing to listen to them when she hadn't a face to attach to the name.

She hadn't meant for him to fall in love.

That's not what she had intended at all.

So Delia did what she did whenever she faced a problem she couldn't answer. She grabbed onto the porch railing to steady herself. Then, without a word, Delia vaulted over it. She jumped down, whistled for her pikachu and walked away. She left him with no answer. Because she just couldn't.

But then… she supposed that had been a sort of answer all in itself—wasn't it?

She heard his voice from far away, coming in small and timid over the receiver. His answer wasn't an answer. It was another question.

"You're near Viridian right? I heard you were in the Kanto region now."

"Uh, yes." Delia gave her head a little shake. "I am. Just outside. Why?"

"I'd like you to meet my fiancée."

* * *

 **Present**

 **T** he duffel bag was bigger than his old backpack. It could hold a lot more than he was used to. It was also cumbersome and not easy to carry when slung over one shoulder. But Ash had no choice. After he was kidnapped, his old backpack had been discarded and forgotten in the Viridian pokemon gym. No one had thought he'd be needing it so soon. And he wasn't about to ask for it. That question would inevitably lead to questions he didn't want to answer.

He rolled up his spare underwear and tucked it in next to his balled up socks. Two pairs of jeans, sleeping clothes, five different shirts and one sweatshirt. Everything else was pokemon health supplies, rations, and a spare sleeping bag. He was well-practiced at packing and preparing for a journey. Nearly half his life had been spent on one.

" **You're not packing nearly warm enough,"** Ash's lips spoke of their own accord.

Ash smiled and glanced up at the small wall mirror across the way. It was the closest he'd get to meeting the eye of the pokemon that currently inhabited his body. He had gotten used to having his voice stolen away by the tiny legendary. But the change in eye color when she did it, that was something entirely new. And this time, like before, the bright shade of blue melted back into his familiar brown eye color as Mew relinquished his voice back to him.

"I have a winter coat. I'll be wearing that so there's no need to pack it."

" **You'll be needing thermals. One slight breeze up there would rip right through your thin human fur."**

Ash shook out an extra nightshirt and repressed the urge to roll his eyes. "Humans don't have fur, Mew."

" **My point made."**

"You worry too much."

" **And you don't nearly enough."**

Ash smiled. That wasn't entirely true, and Mew probably knew it too, sharing his body as she currently was. It wasn't exactly a secret that Mew was far more confident in their future quest than Ash was. Ash still wasn't entirely sure Mewtwo wouldn't psychically implode their brains as soon as they were within range.

" **Have you thought what about you're going to say?"**

"Oh, yeah." Ash abandoned his packing for the little corner desk he had been using the night before. It was littered with crumpled bits of notepaper that he brushed off in search of the one sheet he hadn't torn up yet. "I wrote up some of this last night while you were…" Ash paused, not really sure what to say. Mew didn't sleep per se. But there were moments where her consciousness slipped somewhere Ash couldn't reach. It was happening more and more frequently. Ash tried not to think about what it meant and Mew knew better than to worry him.

Ash cleared his throat and held up the paper so both he and Mew could read. His handwriting was a mess but sharing his memories, it wasn't too hard for Mew to pluck letters and sense from the jumbled scrawl.

"Hey Mewtwo," Ash read aloud. "I'm Ash, remember me? The boy whose memory you wiped? Well, funny story. But I kinda need your help to stop your pokemon grandmother from… kinda sorta destroying the world… I think."

Mew's laughter spilled from Ash's lips. It was hard to keep from laughing himself. If only he didn't so desperately need this to work.

Once Mew's hiccuped giggles had subsided, Ash offered a meek, "Do you like it?"

" **Oh, very much so."**

"Will Mewtwo?"

" **Umm…"**

Her response was not exactly inspiring. Ash stared hopelessly down at the piece of paper shivering in his tight grip. "Maybe he'll find it funny?"

" **I don't really think Mewtwo has a sense of humor."**

Ash sighed, crumpling up the last sheet of paper. "Mew…"

" **But what do I know? We've all done some growing these last few years. I'm not really sure what kind of pokemon Mewtwo is now."**

Ash arched a throw at the nearby wastebasket, the balled up paper rimming the edge before tumbling just outside. The pokemon trainer plopped backward onto the makeshift trundle bed, staring up at the circulating ceiling fan. His duffle bag bounced lightly at the sudden movement, nearly tipping over and off the bed if not for Ash's steadying hand.

"If you don't know what kind of pokemon he is, how do you know he won't try to hurt me?"

Mew was silent for just a moment, mulling something over. At last, she wrested control from Ash to answer, **"When we parted… when he wiped your memory, Mewtwo had a deep respect for you. I don't believe even lifetimes could erase that."**

"Respect?" Ash snorted, flipping over onto his side so he could meet Mew's gaze in the mirror. "Just what in the world happened between us? In the memory we shared, he tried to kill me."

" **I've only been in your head for a short time, but even I can tell that there's a very predictable pattern that happens whenever you meet a legendary, Ash."** Mew ticked off on Ash's fingers. **"They meet you, try to kill you, and then eventually they come around to helping you or vice-versa. If you haven't befriended them by the end of the encounter, you typically still earn their appreciation."**

"Did _you_ try to kill me?"

" **Uh… no. I meant… generally speaking."**

Ash laid still, watching the fan spinning above his head. Despite knowing what was coming, he felt calm. The future problems seemed nothing more than black clouds on the horizon. In the moment, he was free to breathe and take solace in the knowledge that he had a plan in place to stop the coming storm.

Mew let him lay in the quiet for a few minutes. He could feel her presence, almost pacing back and forth in his mind's eye. She kept teasing at the microphone, reluctant to take full control and break his reverie.

Ash sighed, "Just talk, Mew. I know you want to say something."

" **It's just that… I don't think you should be going alone."**

"I'm not. You and Pikachu will be with me."

" **You know what I mean."** Mew forced Ash to sit up. Ash begrudgingly went along with the unwanted change in position. It was her turn to stare at him in the mirror, scolding him. **"There's no reason you can't accept the help of your friends; you'll almost certainly need them in the journey ahead. You'll do them no favors by keeping them in the dark."**

"I'll be keeping them safe."

" **Would you?"** Mew's disapproving look was unrelenting. **"With each passing day, my creator grows more angry, more powerful. You cannot guarantee their safety by leaving them ignorant of the danger. I don't know them as well as you do, Ash, but even I can tell that they'd be extremely displeased to have you running off on them again. What if they tried to follow you?"**

"They wouldn't be able-"

" **What about Misty?"**

Ash flinched. It was a long moment before he said, "She's with Gary. She wouldn't miss me that much."

" **Ugh, Ash. It doesn't matter who the girl is copulating with—"**

"Copulating?" Even sharing the same voice, Ash only got the vaguest impression of the word. It left him with a very uneasy feeling. Though not nearly as much as Mew's definition did.

" **Mating."**

"M-mating?"

" **She is your companion. She—"**

"Who said anything about _mating_?"

" **... would miss you as much as your Pikachu would—"**

"Please do not _ever_ use my mouth to say that again!"

Mew harrumphed. Even though they shared a body, they did not wholly share a mind. The social norms of humans were still an alien and absurdly over-complicated mess. Affairs of 'the heart', as humans seemed to refer to them, even more so. She did not understand why the young boy was letting his base emotions control him. Though Mews did not mate, they understood the concept well enough from interactions with other pokemon that populated the planet. Humans seemed to take the simple act of reproduction so personally. And if you ever dared to call them out on it, they'd get all upset. Ridiculous!

" **Regardless,"** Mew continued. **"My point still stands. Your friends would not take well to you leaving."**

"Well, that's fine. They don't get a say in this."

" **Shouldn't they?"**

"It's my quest," Ash snapped, jumping off the bed and gesticulating angrily at his own reflection."You entrusted me to carry it out. So trust me when I say it's better not to involve them."

The door cracked open, just large enough for a small electric rodent to slip in. Though from the small, low voice that Ash's ears could only just recently comprehend, Ash might have thought one of his friends had just walked in on them. It took a second for his heart to stop pounding.

It wasn't the first time Ash had been nearly caught arguing with himself. He really didn't want to explain everything that happened to him while he had been in WI's custody. And his possession by a legendary pokemon was something too big to even begin to explain.

" _Arguing about this again?"_

"Pikachu, shut the door."

Pikachu rolled his eyes and kicked the door closed behind him.

" _Let it just be stated, I agree with Mew. You shouldn't sneak off without our friends."_

"Nobody cares, Pikachu."

" **Well, I care."**

Ash moaned into his hands, trying to silence his betraying lips. Pikachu took the moment's reprieve to jump onto the rickety cot so as to be closer to his master's eye level.

" _I know what you're doing,_ Pikapi _. And they aren't going to be any safer if you leave them behind, you know."_

Ash let his hands fall but he avoided his Pokémon's eye. "I'm not the same runaway kid I was last time. Things are… _way_ different now. I'm different." Still avoiding the eye of everyone in the room, Ash zipped up his duffle bag. He took longer with the simple action than was necessary; trying to focus on the task. At length, he continued, "I'm not dragging the others into it."

" **So you are making their choice for them?"**

"Well, fancy that," Ash laughed meanly, his eyes flashing back on his reflection in the mirror. "I can't imagine how that would feel, not getting a choice. Now would I, Mew?"

Mew might have said something. He felt his lips stirring with her response, but she must have thought better of it. They both knew that Ash had been given a choice; a false one. Mew had been desperate and had taken advantage of the Chosen One, as many Legendaries had done in the past. And Ash himself had found it impossible for him to refuse. So yes, it had been a choice. But the options were poor: a mere illusion of choice. The outcome had been set as soon as Mew had asked.

Guilt and remorse were things alive, writhing inside him, Mew's emotional state unconsciously affecting her host. And Ash's own feelings, closer to the surface, turned uncomfortably in his gut. He had been over this with himself already: no feeling bad, no feeling sorry for himself and no hard feelings. But Ash was still finding it hard to let go of the unfairness of the bad hand he had been dealt, and like a child, he'd lashed out again.

"Sorry," Ash grumbled.

" **Don't be. You have every right to be angry with me…"**

Ash blinked and stared hard at the ceiling. "I thought I was past this."

" **Why would you be? You've been given no time to process it. I have pushed you at every turn. And if not me… others have been quick at your heels."** Mew sighed and pushed the shaggy bangs from Ash's forehead; a gentle, motherly gesture. **"Which is why you should wait for your friends. Breathe, Ash. Let your friends carry some of your burdens."**

Ash recoiled as if trying to shrug free from her grasp. As if that were possible. He violently threw his hand away from himself, accidentally knocking his knuckles against the nearby cabinet. The pain only added more forcefulness into his voice. "We _cannot_ wait! How can you even say that? You're _dying_!"

" **I was aware of that, thank you."**

"Stop it! I'm serious! God dammit, Mew. Do you have to be so goody-goody? Acting like you don't care when I know you do! I feel everything you feel, stupid! You—You're pissing me off! If Mewtwo—"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried out in warning.

"...is half as infuriating as you are, I might have to—"

Ash had whirled about in mid-rant, shocked to find himself face to face with a familiar redhead. He fumbled his words, his train of thought completely derailed by her sudden appearance. She must have slipped in while Ash was busy arguing with himself.

 _How much did she hear?_

Ash's eyes nervously flitted in Pikachu's direction.

Had Pikachu seen the moment Misty entered, or was he caught as much off-guard as Ash had been? The brief glance was an insufficient answer, and Pikachu looked far too alarmed for it to have only been a few seconds. Pikachu, himself, didn't have to worry about being eavesdropped on from the other humans in Elm's laboratory, but it seemed he had momentarily forgotten that fact. Like Ash, Pikachu could only hold his breath.

Misty was biting her tongue, unable to meet Ash's eyes. She looked awfully pale, although Ash supposed that was to be expected after having just walked in on her friend crazily arguing with himself.

When she finally dared to lift her eyes, her gaze seemed distant, troubled: unable to focus on the faces around her. "Ash," She said hesitantly. "There's something you need to see."

Misty grabbed his arm before Ash could protest. He didn't want to be dragged off by the redhead. Not without backup. Ash looked back toward his Pikachu, trying to appeal for help, but Misty was having none of it. She yanked him forward unforgivingly, pulling him unwillingly along into the open hallway. "You can argue with Pikachu later. This is _important_."

Head spinning and heart pounding in his throat, Ash had no choice but to comply. He stopped dragging his feet and fell into a reluctant pace alongside his captor. He still had no idea how much she overheard. He looked over at her troubled face, watched as she worried on her bottom lip. Even now her sea green eyes carefully avoided his own. Did she know he was planning to sneak away? Did she know that he planned to find Mewtwo? Was she taking him somewhere private to bully him into staying? Guilt him into being honest? Did she suspect the truth of his possession, or did she only think he was rendered insane from his torture at the hands of White Ice? Admittedly, Ash didn't know which was worse.

Misty led him into the small lobby of Elm's expansive laboratory. It seemed as if everyone else was already there, huddled beneath a small television set bolted to the ceiling. All except for Team Rocket, who must have been still caring and fretting for James. In a flash, Ash took in everyone in exacting detail, every nervous twitch, and expression. Already hotwired into expecting the worst, he read a lot of bad things through their body language.

Gary was seated, shoulder still heavily bandaged but no longer hooked to an IV, with an expression that could have mirrored Misty's own. His fingers were steepled and holding an intense staring contest with the opposite wall. Giovanni stood behind him, staring outside the window but bracing himself with the back of Gary's chair. His knuckles were white from his grip. Tracey, Professor Oak, and Professor Elm were in a huddle together, staring at the television as if transfixed. And Delia stood fretfully away from the others, pacing. She stopped when Misty returned, her face flashing from relief to anxiety to something Ash couldn't quite understand. Pity? Regret?

Delia rushed forward to meet them, taking Misty's hands away from Ash so as to comfortably hold them herself.

"I brought him," Misty said softly.

"Good, thank you, dear. Go sit down. You look like you're about to faint dead away."

Ash looked back at Misty in sudden alarm. Her pallid face seemed more pronounced at his mother's observation. He noticed she looked upset but had she been _that_ upset?

"No, I'm fine," said Misty gently, pulling herself free from Delia's kind hands. "I—I have to call my sisters. They'll be frantic," She allowed herself a small smile. "I can rest after I make sure they don't do anything stupid."

Misty walked away, pulling out a thin Poke'dexter to make her vidcall. Ash watched her leave with a frown, whirling back around to his mother for an explanation. He didn't need to say anything. His expression was enough to elicit a deep sigh from his mother.

"Ash, dear. I'm afraid we've all been given quite a bad shock."

"What is it?" Ash looked between all the faces in the room. Just like with Misty, they all avoided his eye. "Did someone die?"

"No, no. Nothing like that." Delia seemed about to answer, but couldn't yet get her mouth around the words. She gave a helpless look to the others, a plea that Professor Oak was only all too eager to answer.

"Perhaps, rather than tell Ash... it would be better to show him."

The others nodded in eager agreement. The wizened Professor beckoned Ash over to where he could see the television screen better. The sound was muted; something quickly remedied by Gary, who snatched up the remote.

The news broadcast washed over the group and Ash listened, perplexed, to a small offhand report about local power outages due to suspected electric pokemon in the area. At Ash's questioning look, Professor Oak nodded.

"Give it a minute. They keep re-reporting it every hour."

Ash didn't have to wait long. The clean-cut newscaster eventually left the lighthearted stories behind. His jovial expression and tone deadened as he switched modes. Even his co-anchor, a pleasantly smiling brunette, dropped her smile right on cue.

" **And we return again to our coverage of White Ice's ongoing manhunt for one… very troubled pokemon trainer."**

An old picture flashed on the screen of a smiling ten-year-old trainer. And next to that was a digital recreation of Ash's own face as it was now. Ash blinked in surprise. Inside, he could feel Mew's own gasp trying to bubble to his lips.

" **Ashton Satoshi Ketchum, last seen near the outskirts of Goldenrod city in Johto, escaped White Ice's custody. Arrested as a suspect in the string of pokemon robberies that have plagued WI since earlier this year, young Ashton, with the help of a few Team Rocket-affiliated accomplices, managed to incapacitate several WI officers in his escape. Of those accomplices, the most surprising happens to be the lovely Miss Misty Kasumi Yawa of the famed Cerulean City gym. She's the youngest of the Cerulean sisters, isn't she, Barb?"**

Ash watched in quiet horror as Misty's own bright face flashed on screen. Unlike his old photo, hers was new. Possibly taken in a photo shoot meant to publicize one of Cerulean Gym's many maritime shows. She had glittering seashells in her hair and shimmering makeup that only made her dizzyingly beautiful eyes stand out more.

" **You're right, Jim. Yawa had earned quite a reputation lately as a particularly fearsome gym leader, quite the opposite of most water-based gyms in the past. She was well on her way to single-handedly getting official recognition from the Indigo League as a 5-star gym. Although, I guess that's all out the window now."**

Underneath both photos, came a list of pokemon they were _armed_ with. Ash wished they had been a little less thorough in their investigation, but both pokemon teams were completely accurate. Charizard and Pikachu had both been labeled as extremely dangerous. Only one of Misty's pokemon was given the same treatment. Golduck… Ash didn't really have time to process why.

" **Such a shame. Seeing such a promising youth throwing away their life for the likes of Team Rocket."**

" **And there can be no doubt of that, can there, Jim?"**

" **Unfortunately not. One of the other accomplices happens to be none other than Mr. Pokemon Mafia himself, John Giovanni. Recently thought to have amended his ways and serving out a probation in Viridian whilst maintaining his only legitimate franchise— Viridian's Pokemon Gym—Giovanni was caught engaging in battle with several officers."**

Now it was Giovanni's turn to be broadcast. Ash turned from his father's grim face on the screen to the equally grim-faced man in the room. Giovanni looked on impassively. Ash supposed he must have been used to people bad mouthing him being the former leader of a mafia organization. Perhaps even more so now that he'd been rendered toothless.

The broadcast continued as more faces that Ash knew were laid out on screen, one by one, like cards in a losing hand. The latter were not photos but forensic sketches done up of Jessie and James with their names and their known carried pokemon beneath them. Not being official trainers probably made it next to impossible to find photographs of the two. The artistic renderings were probably thanks to Cassidy and Butch, who would have been able to provide every detail of their former Rocket rivals. The drawings were, unfortunately, pretty true to life. Only Gary was lucky, his sketch looking the most unlike him. There was no name with the sketch of the spikey-haired gentleman nor an accurate portrayal of his pokemon team. White Ice had not anticipated his being there nor did they seem to nail down his true identity. It was a small mercy, as the only one more famous than Misty in the room would have been Professor Oak's ambitious grandson.

The newscasters concluded the story by warning their viewing audience of how dangerous the individuals mentioned were. They weren't to be approached or reasoned with. A toll-free number scrolled across the screen while the anchors urged their audience to call if they spotted any individual matching the descriptions of those mentioned, or if they had any information on the individuals in question.

Gary hit the mute button just as the news switched topics to something less heartbreaking.

Delia wasn't mentioned. And thankfully neither was either Pokemon Professor. Both must have managed to keep from White Ice's notice. Though Ash suspected it wouldn't be long before reporters and police officers alike hunted down his relatives. His mother would have been the first on their list.

Ash met his mother's eye. "Mom…"

Delia smiled. "I'll have to go back to Pallet Town."

"No, Mom. They'll come after you."

"It's more suspicious if I don't. Besides, I can give them false leads, keep you safe," She placed her hands on her son's shoulders, leaning in to give him a soft kiss on his forehead. "I'll be okay."

"I'll go with you, Delia," said Professor Oak. "No need for you to face this alone."

Delia smiled though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you, Samuel."

"What I don't get," Gary said, standing up and breaking his reverie at last. "Why is White Ice still coming after him? We gave them what they wanted. Hell, they nearly killed Ash. For all they know, he _could_ be dead. What could they possibly want from Ash still?"

The eyes in the room went slowly from Ash to the only other person who might have had some insight into White Ice's character. Giovanni shuffled uneasily under their gaze. He awkwardly cleared his throat and made his way over to where Ash was standing.

It was subtle. His back was to everyone else in the room, everyone but Ash. And to Ash, Giovanni pointed to his eyes, disguising the gesture with a scratch to his nose.

' _Does she know?'_ Giovanni mouthed. About his eyes. About Mew. About his possession.

Ash frowned and gave a small shake of his head.

Only a handful of people knew about Ash's new condition, the majority of them pokemon. Meowth, Pikachu and, of course, Giovanni himself. The confession wasn't relayed out of any sort of sentimentality between estranged father and son. Ash used Mew to threaten his father. It was the only way he knew how to get Mewtwo's true location out of the stubborn man.

Seemingly satisfied, Giovanni turned back to the group. "My best guess would be that Andromeda feels the need to tie up all her loose ends. She's not certain that Ash died in the exchange. She's looking for proof. And possibly revenge against the rest of us for trying to thwart her plans."

It sounded plausible enough. But Ash knew the truth and he couldn't say it. Giovanni probably surmised it too.

Ash knew Andromeda's next move. Mewtwo. An unfathomably powerful pokemon that she could lock up inside her machine and siphon to her heart's content. With his psychic abilities at her fingertips, Andromeda would be unstoppable. And Andromeda probably suspected, if he lived, Ash'd be trying to reach the pokemon before her. To stop her. To save Mewtwo, the bleeding heart that he was.

This was why he hadn't wanted to seek Mewtwo out. They'd be bringing White Ice right to the dangerous Pokémon's doorstep, making an already terrible situation worse.

But there were extenuating circumstances. They didn't have the luxury of time or choice. Mew was living on borrowed time. They needed to reach Mewtwo before Mew slipped away into Ash's consciousness completely. If they waited until White Ice decided to stop chasing him, it might already be too late.

Mew had already given Ash a frightening understanding of what could happen if he failed; if he was unable to unite Mew and Mewtwo to confront their wrathful creator. The wild pokemon attacks were only a small nuisance compared to the tidal wave that would be coming.

Ash gripped his head, bracing the incoming headache. How had this already become such a mess? They hadn't even started yet!

While the others tried to puzzle out motive and future headings from their limited information, Ash excused himself. He ducked around his mother's concern, reassuring her that he was fine. And it was as Ash was dodging his mother, that Gary made his way past them. Ash hadn't noticed it until he was halfway down the hall, halfway back to the room he had abandoned before.

Ash stopped dead. Just a few feet ahead, Misty stood, wrapped up in Gary's embrace. She was openly sobbing in his arms. Concern for her conflicted against his burning jealousy for the man who held her. He should have said something. All the pain she was suffering, the loss, the humiliation—it was because he, Ash, had come back into her life.

She didn't deserve this. Neither of them did. And it wasn't right to be envious of something he couldn't, shouldn't have. Gary and Misty. He hadn't wanted to face it before, he didn't even want to think about it. But now, Ash could see how gentle Gary was with her. How she so willingly clung to him—with such familiarity. Maybe… Maybe they would be okay.

Face burning with shame, Ash walked past them both. When he closed the door behind himself, shutting out Misty's quiet sobs, Mew took control of his lips again.

" **Ash…"**

"They'll be better off without me."

Pikachu looked up from the bed, confused, expecting to be let in on this new development. But for once, Mew didn't argue with him. She didn't say anything.

* * *

 **T** he sun was bright and hot in the sky. But there was a warm wind that kept rustling past his baggy shirt. His mom was doing her best to balance the heavy picnic basket and keep the breeze from tossing up her long skirt. Ash danced around his mother, eagerly looking forward to the feast that she had prepared for the two of them. Ash took two or three steps for every one of his mother's, only just able to keep up with her longer strides.

 _Soon, soon,_ she kept saying. She never seemed satisfied with any stretch of green, marching them ever onward for a new patch. When she finally laid down the checkered cloth, she shooed Ash away from the basket.

 _Go play. It's not time to eat._

Ash grumbled along with his grumbling stomach. The sandwiches she was pulling from the basket were some of his favorites, plump with sweet cream and fresh fruit. It was torture watching, unable to partake, so Ash heeded his mother.

The tall dry grass off to the side of their picnic spot was taller than he was. He slipped through, tumbling into a maze of swaying blades. The wind whistled through them; it almost sounded like a pokemon. He bounced and danced his way through them, giggling with gleeful abandon. Eventually, Ash came upon the idea that this tall grass was perfect for hiding in. He should hide from Mommy and then jump out to surprise her!

Ash crept back to where he thought the opening to the tall grass was. But when he peeked between the swaying blades, he saw not his mother, but a little girl. She was small, small like him. With funny brown fur, long and plaited from the top of her head. She was wrapped up in something brightly colorful with images on the surface that resembled flowers. It didn't look like her own skin. What a strange-looking pokemon!

Ash watched her as she picked wildflowers. The grass had opened up to what seemed like open sky but was just the side of a cliff. And though the girl had no wings, she picked the plants fearlessly, bending and stretching to reach ones that grew off the side.

She reached for one particularly stunning yellow bloom growing on an outcrop off to the side of the cliff's top, stretching out her tiny peach-colored paws, face growing pink from the effort. And Ash watched, his large, unblinking blue eyes completely enraptured with the tiny creature.

She scooped the air, once and then twice. When her fingers finally brushed the petals, she let go of the grip she had on the cliff side. She tipped dangerously forward and then completely vanished over the side.

Ash didn't hesitate. He burst from the grass and jumped off the cliff after her. She made a lot of noise, shrieking piercing sounds as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He could feel her heartbeat beneath his fingertips, fluttering like a bird.

And because Ash knew he could, he uprighted them. They twisted about in the air, slowed and then gently floated like a bubble back to the top of the cliff. Ash's toes landed first then the girl's feet followed afterward. She collapsed against him, crying but thankful. He couldn't understand her words, they were guttural and strange. She had to be one of those pokemon that liked to talk with their mouths. But he could tell. He was good at reading pokemon. She knew he saved her. She was thankful.

"Mew," Ash said, hoping the sound would comfort her. His voice was softer than hers, gentle. "Mew, mew." He continued with the nonsense word, hoping the soft sounds would calm the girl down.

She did, her sobs quieting into soft hiccups. He made silly faces at her and she began to smile. He did a backflip in the air for her and she laughed and clapped her paws…hands.

She was a human, Ash realized with a start. Not a pokemon, but a human.

And then suddenly there were others like her. But they were bigger, taller…meaner. They snatched her back with them, shielding her behind their massive bodies. As if he meant her harm! He didn't! He just saved her!

He tried to say so. But his words were just nonsense he had made up and spat out from his lips. They couldn't hear thoughts.

The biggest and meanest extracted himself from the group, standing over Ash. His eyes were like pits in his face, deep and dark. Ash kept using soft words, holding up his open palms—- paws... trying to play submissive. He scuttled backward but was running out of places to go. The human held something like a rope in his hands, but when he threw it, it expanded into a cage, a net that entangled and caught Ash.

Ash cried out—the heavy thing pulled him to the ground. The humans were towering over him. They held rocks, which they smashed into him. Over and over again they cracked the stones against his bruised skin, ignoring his cries and thoughts of pain. He felt the bones in his arm separate and crack. His leg seemed to shatter into a hundred sharp shards. They were working their way over his body, breaking everything with their rocks, moving towards his skull.

"Stop! Please stop!" Ash screamed.

In a blink, the humans melted away and twisted into something new. Now Andromeda was pinning him down, and twisting the knife in deeper; deeper and deeper into his shoulder. She leaned over him. He could smell her sweet floral perfume, the strawberry scent of her long blonde hair wafted around him. She wouldn't let go of the knife, pushing down as she leaned close to his ear. He felt more than heard her whisper.

" _Such the hero."_

"GET OFF!"

Ash punched up and with the sudden thrust came an unmistakable surge of energy. He felt it rip through his flesh and charge through the dissipating nightmare.

And Ash was fully awake when the blast slammed into the overhead ceiling light. The light immediately shorted at the sudden collision of energy, showering everyone below with sparks. Pikachu fell off the couch, but thankfully Tracey only shuffled and continued to snore within his sleeping bag.

Ash lay on the couch, sweaty, chest heaving and arm still outstretched from the released attack. Slowly, he flexed his fingers, then lowered his arm.

"Well," Ash said breathlessly. "That was new."

Ash sat up in time with his disgruntled pokemon. Pikachu glared grumpily up at him from where he had fallen.

" _I'm gonna stop sleeping with you,"_ Pikachu snapped.

"Aw, Pikachu. Don't be that way."

" _It's safer on the floor."_

"Well…" Ash glanced back up at the damaged ceiling light. It still seemed a bit scorched from where his energy blast had struck it. "That might be true."

It was well into the night now. Ash could see the time blinking at him from the small digital clock across the way. He hadn't planned to sleep quite as long as he had; his dexter's alarm failed to wake him. Now half the night had expired away. Ash had maybe hours before the rest of the laboratory's occupants would stir.

It was now or never.

He nodded over at his Pikachu and climbed to his feet. Both human and pokemon were careful not to wake Tracey as they carefully gathered their things. Ash reached over the couch to pull up his duffle bag. Flattening down his mussed-up hair, Ash followed his pokemon out into the main lobby.

Everything was still. Ash could only hear his own footsteps and the soft padded footfalls of his tiny rodent pokemon. The automatic doors at the entrance were frozen. Ash had to pry and push them open himself. He stumbled out beyond them into a warm and humid evening. The sky was dark with clouds. Pidgeot would find it difficult to navigate, but it was a risk they'd have to take. Once they were far enough away, he'd switch to using Charizard.

Ash tossed out his Pidgeot's pokeball. The pokemon appeared with a croon and rustle of feathers, having just been tossed from its own slumber.

"Pidgeot. You up for a night flight?"

Pidgeot fluffed up thoughtfully, its sharp eyes eying the dark low hanging clouds above them. His feathers flattened as he responded, _"The weather is poor, Master."_

" _What? No ill omens or superstitious numerology patterns today, Pidgeot?"_ Pikachu said with unmistakable snark as he jumped up onto Ash's shoulder.

If birds could blush, Ash would have sworn that's what Pidgeot would have emoted. His wings shivered in agitation and his pupils shrank in Pikachu's direction. It took Ash a moment to realize what was wrong.

"It's okay, Pidgeot. You don't have to act any differently just because I can understand you now."

" _You might regret that,"_ Pikachu joked.

Pidgeot's anxiety still kept him mute. Instead, he inclined his head, encouraging Ash to mount. Pikachu jumped on first. Ash was just about to follow when a sudden voice stopped him dead.

"So… I don't think I gave you permission to leave."

Ash slowly turned, guilt mixing with shock on his face. Misty was there, idly tossing a pokeball up and down in her hand. Though it had been Misty who had spoken, she wasn't the only one standing in the courtyard.

"Did I? Do you remember me giving him permission, Gary?" Misty asked the man casually leaning in the shadows of the wall behind her.

"Nope."

"Didn't think so." Misty caught her pokeball and rounded on Ash, backing him up against his feathered pokemon. "I won that pokemon battle against you, Ash. You are not allowed to run away anymore. You promised! And I intend to hold you to your promises. You got that?"

"Misty—Misty you… you don't understand!"

"Explain, then."

She stepped back, arms crossed. Ash looked helplessly back at Gary, who just threw up his arms in response. He'd find no help in that quarter.

"I… I… Look!" He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a light shake. "I'm wanted. Because of me, you are too. It would be better if I left… then you'd be safe."

Misty swat his hands away. "Nuh-uh. I'm going with you."

"Me, too," Gary chimed in.

"No! No, no you're not. You can't come!" Ash's gaze drifted from Misty to where Gary hid. "You especially!"

"Like hell, we can't. You going to stop me?" She had flashed her pokeball again. Ash stepped back uneasily.

"We outnumber you, Ashy-boy. You're going to have to let us come this time."

"It's dangerous!" Ash shouted out desperately.

"All the more reason, you aren't going alone."

"You don't understand!"

"Then explain! Explain yourself, Ash Ketchum!"

"He's gonna talk tah dat Mewtwo guy."

All three whirled about in surprise as, not for the first time, Team Rocket got the bounce on the group. James was still nursing a heavy bit of bandages about his midsection and was leaning against Jessie for support. But the two were both outside, following their small cat pokemon.

"Team Rocket?"

"Prepare for trouble, make it double and all that," Jessie said, arms too preoccupied holding James upright to give the motto any conscious effort. Meowth ignored them both and continued addressing the group.

"Dats why its dangerous. And why he wants to go alone. He's got tah talk tah Mewtwo."

"Shut it, Meowth," Ash hissed, directing a meaningful stomp in the mouthy Pokémon's direction. Thankfully Meowth was appropriately cowed and didn't betray one word too many.

"Mewtwo… that sounds strangely familiar. Have we tried to catch a Mewtwo before?" James asked.

"No," Jessie sniffed. "I would have remembered it."

Misty stepped between Ash and the cat pokemon, pushing Ash back gently. "Don't fuss at Meowth. We already knew you were going after Mewtwo."

"You did?"

"Giovanni told us."

Ash's face darkened. "Of course he did."

"And a good thing too," Misty smacked his arm hard enough to smart. Ash recoiled, rubbing where she hit. "You would have left us! What were you thinking? Giovanni said Mewtwo is probably the world's most dangerous pokemon. Why in the world do you want to find it?"

Ash was still rubbing his arm. He stared down at the ground, finding it easier to look at than the fuming redhead in front of him. "I can't tell you."

He expected a fight. He even flinched when Misty reached out and then carefully slipped the duffle bag off his shoulder.

"That's okay," She said, shouldering the bag herself. "We're still going with you."

"Me too!" Meowth piped up.

"Us too," said James with a nod to Jessie. She just rolled her eyes. It was as much affirmation they'd get from her.

Meowth turned about to look at his teammates, his eyes shiny with tears. "You guys!"

"Like we'd let you go with Team Twerps alone, knucklehead," Jessie snapped, not unkindly.

Ash couldn't help staring at James' very obvious injury. One that he had gotten while trying to protect Ash. It seemed everyone around had battle scars from trying to save him from something. "James…" Ash said gently. "You can't. You're still hurt."

"He can." Gary had been quiet through most of the discussion. Sensing his moment, he had stepped forward from where he had been watching, joining the others. "If you follow my plan, James will have time to recover. Unlike yours, where you'd likely get yourself caught by the police a few hours in." Gary playfully knocked against Ash, nearly tipping the other boy off balance. "Were you really planning on flying Pidgeot all the way to the mountain range? You're a wanted man, Ash. You'd maybe last an hour tops- flying on Pidgeot with all those people looking for you."

Ash frowned. It was true he hadn't really taken a moment to reevaluate his plan since learning how White Ice and many others in the prefecture were on the lookout for him. He hadn't had time. But he wasn't sure he liked the idea of taking more time to get there than was necessary.

"What did you have in mind?"

Gary wagged his own pokedexer at Ash smugly. "I can procure us a ride. It would make us difficult to track and be the exact opposite of what White Ice would expect from us. They expect us to be stupid," Gary smirked, poking Ash on the forehead. "Like you."

"And we can provide you with the suitable disguises!" James enthusiastically added.

Ash couldn't help bemoaning James' proposed help. "I am not dressing up like a girl again."

"Again?" Gary asked.

"We can worry about disguises once we're underway," Misty interrupted, giving Ash a meaningful look. "So long as Ash agrees to stay put for tonight."

"I think there's a story there…"

"Gary…" Misty warned.

"About the dressing up as a girl thing? I mean, I'd really like to hear it."

"Gary!"

"I'm just saying!"

A hush fell over the courtyard as all eyes fell back upon Ash. He stood, backed against his riding pokemon. They watched to see if he would mount Pidgeot still. Would he listen to all they said and still try to run away? Ash had to admit he'd already brazenly done so in the past.

He felt Mew warmly in the center of his chest. The pleasant purr of happiness, of seeing Ash surrounded by those who cared and who wanted to help. He turned back to his Pidgeot and the collective group held their breath.

" **Stay with them, Ash,"** Mew whispered with his voice.

"But you don't have time."

" **You are more than capable of carrying on with the mission without me. Stop feeling like you owe me something. You don't. If anything, it is I who owes you… and I'm not sure I can ever pay you back,"** Mew pressed Ash's own hands urgently against his chest as if to hold him back. **"Please, Ash. Don't be alone. Stay with your family. You** _ **need**_ **them."**

The tears that burned into Ash's eyes were not Mew's. Not this time. He cupped his face, trying to hide them from the others. But Pikachu saw. He was there, leaping onto Ash's shoulder, gently petting his human friend on the head.

And through the tears, Ash began to smile. While shaking his head, he whispered to the pokemon inside, "You could have forced me to stay. You wanted to. You had enough power to do it."

" **I've already forced you to do enough,"** Ash's lips responded. **"Besides… what sort of friend would that make me?"**

When Ash turned back around, his mind had been made up. Wiping the tears from his eyes, Ash faced his compatriots with a wide smile.

"Alright. You win. We'll go together."

* * *

 **The Past**

 **"J** ohnny."

"Delia."

It was awkward… because, of course, it was.

Delia had walked into the Viridian pokemon center after a two-mile hike, sticky with sweat and smelling like summer. Her long chestnut-colored hair was tied up in a high ponytail and she was wearing the casual best of a logo-emblazoned tank top and high water shorts. She didn't look any different from the other trainers that had walked through those sliding doors.

But Johnny stood out like a sore thumb. Dressed up in a button-down collared shirt and dress slacks, he looked more ready to take on a courtroom than a pokemon battle. He had taken to oiling and slicking back his hair lately. Johnny thought it made him look older. Delia thought it made his forehead look bigger.

"You look good," Delia lied pleasantly.

"Thanks, you too."

Oomph. She felt the comment like a punch to the gut. No, she didn't look good. Delia knew she didn't. Her calves were streaked with mud and she was dripping with sweat, for mew's sake. Why would he lie about that?

But Delia kept her internal struggle from appearing on her face. Instead, she allowed him to carry her through the small talk. He asked about her family and she answered. She asked about his and he responded in kind. With all the boxes of polite exchanges checked, that left only the point of their venture. Meeting the future Mrs. Giovanni.

They started off together in silence, marching side by side, close enough to touch but careful not to. Johnny swore that she, the mysterious fiancée, was staying in a hotel not far from the center. But they'd be meeting together at a small outdoor cafe just on the other side of the small city.

 _Why did I agree to this?_ Delia thought furiously for the hundredth time since she had backtracked to the nearest pokemon center. She had only herself to blame. Joulie hadn't cared one way or the other. And yet, somehow she and her pikachu had come here anyway.

Delia figured it must have been out of pity, as it had always been with Johnny. But then no, what was there to pity? He was getting married. This was hardly the occasion for pity.

Then perhaps, it was out of obligation. But why? To what did she owe Johnny? It wasn't her fault that he had decided to become her spurned lover. She wasn't family or even that close a friend. How could she have possibly been obligated to meet the woman who had decided Johnny's heart was worth having?

Closure, then. To officially end this... acquaintance, friendship, whatever it was, that she had had with Johnny all these long years. To close the door on something she had long since felt some responsibility for. It wasn't her fault, it wasn't. But maybe if she could just meet the woman who had helped turn his affections away, Delia could finally forgive herself.

Not that she had anything to apologize for!

"So…" Delia interrupted. Johnny was starting in on one of his long talks about the legality of pokemon batting in regions unsupported by the League. Politics. He always did this when he couldn't think of anything else to fill the silence. She was desperate to keep their time together from being a complete slog. "How did you meet?"

"Who?"

Delia raised an eyebrow. "Who? Your fiancée! Who else?"

"Oh. Well, um… We met as children, I guess."

"Is she pretty?"

"I think so."

"Smart?"

"Yes."

"When did you start dating?"

"Uh… a few weeks ago now, I think."

Alarm bells were beginning to go off. Delia tried to keep her face impassive as she asked, "Wow. Whirlwind romance, was it?"

Johnny shrugged. Delia didn't think it was just her imagination that Johnny looked smaller, the further they walked. His shoulders were rounded and his face pale and despondent.

"Good sex?"

Johnny stumbled over his own feet. "W-what?" He sputtered his cheeks an unmistakable rouge in hue.

"Well, I just imagine it must be if you are rushing to get married so soon," Delia said flippantly.

"We haven't—we haven't done that," Johnny swallowed hard. "Not that it's any of your business."

"What about kissing? She a good kisser?"

"Delia!"

"Oh come on. You invited me to meet her. Can't I play annoying big sister for a bit?"

"Delia, I think you misunderstand." They'd stopped walking. The pink was gone from his face and Johnny looked decidedly more serious. For his sake, Delia stopped smiling. "Yes, Annie is my fiancée. But I didn't come to choose her through any sort of conventional means."

"I'm not follow-"

"It's an arrangement. Between her parents and mine."

"Oh." Now Delia was free to pity him. "I'm sorry."

John waved her apology away. "It's fine. You didn't know."

They started walking again. In an attempt to salvage the situation, Delia tried her hand at filling the silence. But she didn't resort to the droll subjects Johnny was apt to reach for. Instead, she told him about her pokemon training, about the places she had gone, people she had met and things she had done. She told him about the great marsh in Sinnoh, and the glittering cave in Kalos, and how she had nearly battled to the top of Mt. Silver. The battles were what Johnny was the most interested in and Delia knew it. So she indulged him, gave him a taste of what his position and station in life could never afford him.

Before they knew it, they had arrived. The cafe was charming little place wreathed by a small rose garden. It looked exactly the sort of place Delia would have expected Johnny to pick. Pretty and expensive.

There weren't too many tables that were occupied but it was clear that none of them held Johnny's fiancée. After a quick word to the wait staff, John decided he would need to go look for her.

"She must still be at the hotel. Wait here, Delia. Just in case she comes."

And Johnny was off before Delia could think to ask what Annie looked like. Delia stood off to the side, next to some tall shrubbery. She bounced on her heels, gave Joulie a few head scratches and paced in circles. But no feasible candidate for Johnny's wayward fiancée came.

After some time waiting, Delia decided to take a short walk around the area. She was careful to keep the cafe in view, just in case someone should come. Delia enjoyed walking lazily in the sunshine, listening to the soft chirps of pidgey roosting in the nooks and crannies of the buildings above.

Then suddenly came a sound distinctly different from the rest. It was sharp and piercing, a cry unlike any pokemon Delia had heard before. The city block was an unintentional echo chamber; it was very difficult to tell where the sound had come from, bouncing as it had from building to building.

And there it was again, a slightly more strangled sound than before. Joulie's hackles rose and her cheeks sparked. If the sound alone wasn't enough to set Delia on edge, her Pikachu's reaction definitely did. Forgetting to keep the cafe in sight, Delia started searching for the source of the cries more vigorously.

It was in a small patch of woods behind one of the nearby window shops that Delia finally found it. As she was turning the bend, a small bloody bundle of feathers dropped with a sickeningly wet thud by her feet. Delia stifled her own scream with her hands. A pokemon! Or what used to be one. It was so mangled; its head twisted back, eyes bulged and beak snapped apart. t was impossible to tell what type of bird pokemon it used to be.

Delia fell to her knees before the poor dead creature. Before she could be brave enough to touch it, Joulie had leapt from her shoulder. She was hissing and spitting at a person Delia hadn't even noticed.

It was a girl, one not that much older than Delia herself. Her blond hair was cut sharp and short, bangs mostly obscuring the girl's eyes. She was wearing a decisively pretty summer dress and her hands were covered in blood that she was now trying to discreetly wipe off on the grass around her.

"Did… did you do this?"

The girl lifted her head and brushed the hair away from her eyes with the backside of her soiled hands. "What?"

Delia felt her anger rising alongside her mounting courage. She climbed back to her feet. "I said," Delia hissed, stepping forward and closing the distance between them. "Did you do this? Did you murder this pokemon?"

"It's a Spearow," came the girl's icy response.

"You didn't answer me."

"It attacked me."

"So you crushed it to death?" Delia lunged, grabbing the girl by the front of her dress. This action, like none other, gave the girl pause. She winced, threw up her blood stained-hands and cried out.

"Don't hit me!"

"Why shouldn't I?" Delia spat, only just staying her balled fist. "What kind of person would do that to a pokemon? You're a monster!"

"I was protecting myself! I don't have any pokemon! I'm not a trainer! Please!"

"And you'll never be one if I have any say in it!"

"John! John, save me!"

Delia stopped dead. In her shock, she let go of the girl's dress, allowing her to stumble unceremoniously backward into the dirt.

"You're…"

"Annie!"

And then, there he was. Johnny rushed forward just as he was supposed to. But when he saw Delia, he hesitated. He meant to go to his fiancée's side, comfort her as she didn't deserve. That would have been bad enough. But the sight of his fiancée's aggressor completely derailed him.

"Delia… what?" John gasped, reaching for her instead.

Delia recoiled, arms and hands tightly tucked to her chest. She didn't want either of them touching her.

Annie was sobbing, yanking at Johnny's arm, trying to focus his attention back on her distress. But he was frozen. And in his eyes, Delia could see that she had been kidding herself. The soft expression he had while looking at her. How he'd smile and laugh at her stories of adventures he had no part in. He invited her to meet his fiancée. He invited _her_.

"Delia, are you alright?"

"Just…just fucking stay away from me," Delia spat out at last. Her voice was flat and dead, the same as she felt. "Both of you! Stay the fuck away!"

And with that Delia tore out of the clearing, with Joulie close behind.

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Sorry to those who were waiting for this! It took decidedly longer to write than I anticipated. May you all enjoy it now that it is finished! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it. If you didn't enjoy it, please leave a review all the same. I always appreciate the feedback.

Special thanks as always to my wonderful beta reader **HarunaRei**. She's the reason these chapters come out coherently at all.

You can expect the next chapter probably in September/October time frame. If not sooner.

Next time on HIA, Ash and company don disguises for their journey.


	2. Disguises

**Last Time On Hia:  
** Unwanted affections, arguments, breaking news broadcast, stopping a runaway and dead birds.  
Quote: "Alright. You win. We'll go together."

 **Chapter Two:** Disguises

Some people long for a life that is simple and planned  
Tied with a ribbon  
Some people won't sail the sea 'cause they're safer on land  
To follow what's written  
But I'd follow you to the great unknown  
Off to a world we call our own  
-Michelle Williams

 **I** t happened way quicker than Ash would have liked it. Everything seemed to fall neatly in place as soon as he had given his consent. He was swept up in it. What had started out as a solo (possibly one way) journey, had quickly become a collaborative project amongst his compatriots. They salvaged what was left of the morning by starting a plan of action. Things were discussed over hurried breakfast. Between glasses of orange juice, scattered bagels and a single slowly emptying tub of cream cheese- they mapped out every role and route.

Ash could have tried to insert himself into the process more. But that single surrender to both their and Mew's dearest wishes had stolen the rest of his energy. He hadn't slept well. His head buzzing and eyes burning for sleep, it took all he had to focus on making a simple breakfast. He fell into the task, scowling when he had to scrape what was left of the cream cheese from the sides of the tub. He'd occasionally pipe into the conversation when a question was directed his way. But despite this journey being his own personal quest, it seemed to have ceased needing much of his opinion on it once his friends were involved.

Ash sat at the far of the end of the table, idly sipping on orange juice and trying to think of nothing. Fortunately, his head felt too full to do much more than operating the most basic of functions. He stared at the wall while Pikachu, who had leaped from his shoulder to the table to chew on pieces of his bagel, watched over the proceedings.

Gary was taking point. That was to be expected as it was his idea that they were following. Something about procuring them a ride to the edge of Kanto. From that point on, several options were juggled. Team Rocket had a surprising amount of input to provide. In their journey chasing Ash and Pikachu around the world, they had amassed an impressive network of underground methods of travel. Apparently, there were places where a Meowth hot air balloon was too conspicuous, imagine that.

By the time Ash had picked his plate clean, most everything was settled. It was Misty who had noticed Ash first. She had looked up from the collection of hand maps that they had strewn across the table, zeroing in on the young man this whole venture was for. She saw the disheveled hair and dark circles under his eyes for what they were.

"Why don't you get some rest, Ash? You look exhausted."

Ash was leaning a little too much against his hand. He shook his head in weak protest. But a single touch on his arm was enough to do him in. Misty led him gently from the table and back to the neighboring room of sofas and armchairs. Gary couldn't help leveling a barb at the young man as he was led past.

"How on earth were you going to manage to stay on top of Pidgeot this morning?"

"Adrenaline," Ash quipped back without his usual venom. He was a little too tired to keep being mad at his friend this morning.

Ash plopped into the nearest couch. He thought that having performed her good deed, Misty would be on her way now. But she lingered, wringing her hands with her eyes looking anywhere but in his direction. Ash was too tired to stand being this uncomfortable. He rolled over, pressing his face into the couch's back. It was better than trying to pretend that everything about her didn't still bother him. He knew he didn't have any merit to his feelings. Ash and Misty were never a thing and never would be. He was a fool for thinking otherwise. And yet the feeling still burned out a hole in his chest.

It would probably hurt for a while. Especially since Ash couldn't talk to anyone about it. After all, he was the only one stupid enough to think that Misty would wait around for him. The only one selfish enough to hope she wouldn't move on.

He could still feel her eyes on him. She probably wanted to say something and Ash just wasn't in the mood to hear it. He pretended to be asleep, staring hard into the pillows and wishing she'd just leave him alone. A soft breeze signaled her eventual exit. And as Pikachu curled up on the soft throw pillows by his head, Ash found his eyelids finally starting to droop. He didn't want to dream of anything this time. But before he could rely that message to the other soul currently occupying his body, he had fallen asleep.

* * *

 **I** t was too much to hope that he wouldn't dream. The dream started in Ash's own head. There were normal things, human concerns, interwoven into things that were undoubtedly Mew's influence. In this dream, he still seventeen, sitting on his mother's shaggy carpet that he used to play on as a child. It was important to note his age; the height and body he occupied in the dream. Because he wasn't acting like himself.

Misty and Brock were on his either side, similarly sitting, similarly waiting for the dream to commence. And although Ash was himself at his current age, he started to play a familiar childhood game. One where he'd crawl across the carpet, underneath coffee tables, and across the couch pretending to a be a pokemon. A talking pokemon, of course. It was exhausting pretending to speak in nothing but strings of "bulbas" or "char char". Through the course of the dream, Ash went from his standard pokemon favorites of Charmander and Bulbasaur to suddenly being addressed as Pikachu by Misty.

 _Oh yes. I'm Pikachu,_ Ash thought. And that was that.

Misty and Brock played no pokemon. But neither did they find it strange that Ash was pretending to be one. They walked alongside Ash, playing themselves in the similar roles they had had on his pokemon journey. Misty, the unwanted tag-along nag and Brock, the older brother who looked out for them. There was no one to play Ash.

Ash hopped up onto the couch, looking across the room and out into the south windows that opened into his childhood backyard. That's what dream Ash did. But there was a second reality folded over the first, the one dream Ash was playing out in his imagination. In his imagination, he had just perched himself on a nearby tree and was surveying the road ahead.

"I can't see the next town," Ash called down to the other two.

"Perfect. So much for sleeping indoors tonight," Misty harrumphed.

Brock touched her shoulder and smiled. "Hey now. The weather is pleasant enough. Camping outdoors again shouldn't be that terrible."

"You say that now, Brock," Ash said jumping down from the tree lightly. "But the weather could change between then and now. I wouldn't jinx us."

Brock made a face at Ash. Probably wondering if the "little pokemon" was actually going to whip out a storm in his imagination just to make this game a little more interesting.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Ash returned the look with a smile.

Ash had meant to step over the coffee table but as he did, things changed. The way things suddenly do in dreams. He wasn't Pikachu. Not anymore. He was spinning, swimming, floating out into the center of the room. His feet lifted off the floor. He was suspended in the air out in front of them. All pretense of imagination had been discarded. This was reality. This was solidly his living room. He was himself. And his friends were themselves- staring up at him in horror.

"No, wait. This is-"

Misty covered her eyes, cried out and looked away from him. Brock, however, couldn't stop staring.

"This is just pretend!"

He could feel the color drain from his face. He had tried to reach out to Misty, at least to her. She was his best friend. His one true companion through everything. If anyone could understand what he was going through; if anyone could see past it… She pulled away from him, fell against the couch's armrest, trembling. Brock might have comforted her if he could just stop staring. The sight of his horrible powers had turned him into an unfeeling statue of stone.

Ash could feel Mew's power burning from his eyes. He tried to blink it back like tears. And then there were tears, they spilled down his cheeks traitorously.

"I'm still me."

But even he didn't believe it.

The roar was back again. It rushed over him like a wave, washing away everything. Misty disappeared last, her tearful expression the last Ash could see before it was dissolved in the white. Ash touched down in the white space. A small red ball tanged against the ground not far from where he stood. Ash didn't react. He expected it. It rolled unacknowledged across the sandy white expanse.

Ash didn't want to turn. He knew what was waiting for him. It wouldn't be any of his friends. There was only one thing that ever met him in such a place. But he knew, like a band-aid, he needed to rip this off sooner or later.

Ash took two deep breaths and then, at last, turned to face the monster that was waiting for him.

He was just as frightening as Ash remembered him. The creature, more shadow than form, hung a few feet above Ash's head. And thanks to Mew's second senses, Ash could feel the energy just as surely as he had seen it before, radiating off the creature. He didn't want to talk to it. His voice broke before he could even begin to form a sentence.

" **I am the most powerful Pokemon in the world,"** the shadow creature boomed through its shapeless mouth.

"Perhaps," Ash's voice replied. "But you are only a memory."

Ash hadn't spoken. Mew hadn't stolen control of his voice as she had done before. His mouth was still and yet he heard his own voice somewhere outside himself. Ash was quite startled when an identical version of himself stepped up alongside him. Well, almost identical. He had appeared the same height at first, the more that Ash focused on the lookalike, the other young man transformed. He became younger and younger until he was undoubtedly a child version of his current self. A ten-year-old pokemon trainer who, despite his short stature, held himself in such a way that made him seem ancient. His eyes held that knowledge again. The knowledge that Ash knew now had been stolen from him, from the very shadow that was haunting him now.

"A memory?" Ash repeated after himself helplessly.

His younger self smiled almost sympathetically. "He can only hurt you if you let him."

"I… I know I'm dreaming," Ash said, becoming surer of it now that he had spoken it out loud. "But soon… soon I will meet him. I will meet Mewtwo."

Younger Ash cocked his head at the older one and chuckled, "Silly. You've already met him."

"He tried to kill me."

"He didn't." The smile was gone from the boy's face now.

"Mew told me-"

" **He didn't** _ **try**_ **.** _ **They**_ **killed us both."**

* * *

 **A** sh threw himself back into waking. He gasped out as he resurfaced, nearly throwing Pikachu from his own resting place. Face dripping with sweat, for several seconds Ash couldn't do anything more than just hug his knees. The words buzzed in his ears as if they had actually been spoken outside his dream. It was a statement that made absolutely no sense. How could he have possibly been killed?

Ash let his eyes fall closed again. He found comfort in the soft even breaths and thumping of his heart. And as he waited, reality became more solid than the gripping world of his dreams. Its words began to lose their power.

 _It was just a nightmare. Just a nightmare,_ Ash whispered under his breath.

The particulars of the dream were already starting to fade away. But the words remained, hauntingly stubborn. Ash tried to push them away; will them into forgetfulness. But they were stubborn and immovable. _They killed us both._

" **Are you alright, Ash?"** Ash's own lips whispered. **"Did you have a bad dream?"**

Ash rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He dropped his legs down from the couch, surveying the room in his now more conscious state. The sun was coming in from the windows brightly now, spilling in warm streams out onto the dull ivory carpet. He couldn't see anyone around. Daylight must have pulled everyone into their daily tasks.

"You can't see into my dreams?" Ash asked idly, not too eager to relate the particulars of this nightmare just yet.

" **No. Not yet."**

The _yet_ left a bad taste in Ash's mouth. He decided he'd rather not have Mew explain.

Pikachu groggily pulled himself up alongside him. Ash gave the sleepy pokemon a kind scratch behind the ears before lifting him back up onto the familiar perch of Ash's shoulder. Mew might have been waiting for a response or perhaps she sensed that Ash wasn't wanting to talk. She didn't press the topic, letting Ash rise and stretch.

After a quick stop in the bathroom to splash some water in his face, Ash decided it was time to return to the world of the living and actually figure out what had gone on without him. He padded barefoot down the halls, peeking into rooms that might have been occupied by his missing friends. His mother had already packed the night before, ready to leave this morning; inevitably taking both Professor Oak and Tracy with her. Ash suspected Misty and Gary probably hadn't relayed the details of his escape attempt to her. If they had, she would have surely delayed her departure to give him a talking to. And that would have been as awkward as it would have been unwanted. He had lived the last few years pretending he didn't have a mother. It was much too soon to have her suddenly occupying that role in his life again.

He had been trying to pretend a ton of things lately. That he didn't need anyone in his life. That he didn't resent the constant meddling of the legendaries. And likewise that he didn't secretly relish the horrible adventures he often found himself in- nightmarish as they often were. And now he had a new thing to pretend too.

When he walked into the correct room, at last, Ash caught sight of _her_ hand resting over Gary's. It was slight, a gentle comforting brush. Gary returned the touch with a smile. And Ash immediately felt like he was intruding. They had been sitting together, stitching up a long canvas that appeared pieced together with whatever scraps of durable fabric they had available. Of its purpose, Ash couldn't even begin to hazard a guess. He cleared his throat and tried not to enjoy how quickly the two pulled apart.

"Ready to be useful," Ash said, keeping his eyes solidly on Gary.

"Well, the best the way to start is to change all that," Gary said, gesturing to all of Ash. Ash couldn't help the sour expression that took over his face.

Misty nudged Gary in the ribs. Ash tried to ignore how playful and natural the action seemed. "He's teasing you, Ash," Misty said. "Gary just means that we need to get you in a disguise."

"Do I have to? I could just… put on a hoodie or something."

" _Heh, are you serious?"_ Pikachu piped up. For a second, Ash had forgotten that he could understand Pikachu now. The bodiless voice suddenly coming from his shoulder was disconcerting. Ash pushed against his pokemon's face; not enough to knock the pikachu from his shoulder but enough to annoy. Pikachu mumbled around his offending hand.

"I'm not wearing a dress," Ash retorted.

"We weren't suggesting that," said Misty. "Team Rocket has a better idea in mind."

"Yeah besides… you'd make an ugly woman."

Ash flipped Gary the bird. Misty grabbed Ash's offensive hand and dragged him towards the exit. "Come on. No dresses, I promise."

They stepped around the canvas and out the door. They hadn't made it that far down the hall before Misty had dropped his hand.

"Why do you do that?" Misty asked.

"Do what?"

Misty shot him a look. "You've been hostile to Gary ever since we got back."

Ash ducked around the glare, careful to avoid her eye. She'd surely be able to read him like an open book otherwise. "I have not."

"You have too."

"We're just guys. It's a guy thing. You're reading too much into it."

"No, I'm not," Misty had grabbed his arm again, stopping in the middle of the hallway. Ash felt cornered, her grip on his arm way too tight. He kept his eyes on the floor as she continued. "I know you, Ash. I can tell when you are upset. Gary worked just as hard as anyone else to get you back. Are you seriously still mad because we had to trade those blueprints to get you back? Because you shouldn't be. We all made that decision, not just Gary."

Ash yanked himself free of her. But it didn't help the cornered feeling. The hallway stretched long and empty on either side of him. Yet he couldn't take either path. Misty had blocked him with nothing more than her presence; her expectation. He hated her and yet he didn't want to disappoint her. He didn't want to be something less in her eyes.

"It's not that," Ash mumbled.

"Then what is it?"

Ash finally let his eyes meet her own. There was no spark of recognition in them. No matter how long he let his gaze linger on her too green eyes, down her flush cheeks and to her soft pink lips. His own lips burned from a wish to meet hers. Feelings that he thought must have been so plain on his face were completely lost on her.

 _Because she didn't feel the same._

Ash let his eyes fall once again. "It's nothing. I'm just being stupid."

Misty seemed mostly satisfied with that answer. She lightly smacked the back of his head. "Well, then knock it off."

"I'll try."

They reached Team Rocket's makeshift quarters too soon. The trio shared the same exam room that had been done up for James. As with all the other rooms in Professor Elm's laboratory, it was meant to accommodate pokemon not human patients. But somehow they had made it work. It certainly not as comfortable a set up as James would have gotten from a hospital, but, in their situation, beggars couldn't exactly be choosers. Ash let Misty enter first, reluctantly trailing in after her.

The room was rather narrow. Ash wasn't sure where Jessie was sleeping. There was one cot stretched across the center of the room, pressed flush against the far cabinets. It was here that James had evidently been patched up. But besides the cot, there didn't seem to be any other furniture in the room.

James shared the bed now with his teammates, all three of them pouring over their limited supplies that they had dumped out on the cot between them. Assorted plastic bags of rations, what looked like cosmetics and a surprising collection of hair dyes were just a few of the items Ash caught sight of before Jessie hastily swept them up in her arms.

Realizing who had entered, the trio relaxed- Jessie dropping the objects in a noisy messy clatter back upon the bed.

"I brought you your sacrificial lamb," Misty joked, pushing Ash out in front of her. Ash would have shot her a nasty look in return, but he was much too preoccupied with the thought of being smothered with that large collection of make-up Jessie had close at hand.

"Finally! I'd thought he had tried to run off again… come on, Twerp. Time for your makeover."

There wasn't much room to maneuver. Upon yanking at Ash's arm, all Jessie managed to do was drag the young man over the cot. Pikachu gracefully abandoned his master's shoulder for the bed before Ash could be run into it. He stumbled, knocking over several of the tubes and cylinders scattered across the sheets. They spilled out over the floor. Jessie didn't seem to mind, kicking them aside as she pulled him down just next to a waiting James. The young man hadn't bothered to rise from the cot throughout the whole exchange. Besides, with his injuries, Ash suspected both he and Meowth were probably there on a conciliatory basis.

So Ash's surprise was pretty great when it was, in fact, James who grabbed Ash's chin and began thoughtfully examining his face like an artist examining a waiting canvas.

"Yeah, I'd say we definitely need to do something about these shadows under his eyes. It's too defining. They'd recognize him right away."

Jessie nodded thoughtfully over James' shoulder. And Ash tried his best not to feel like he was a dish being fancifully prepared for dinner.

"W-wait wait. Ground rules first!" Ash held his hands out in front of himself as if they might actually provide a sufficient barrier against the onslaught of the coming makeover. He instinctively reached up to tug at his hair that was admittedly getting a bit shaggy in the last couple weeks. But he preferred it that way as opposed to whatever Team Rocket might have in mind. "I can put on a silly wig for you guys but no haircuts. No dying my hair. No piercings. Nothing permanent."

James shook his head. "No can do."

Before Ash could protest James' declaration, Jessie took up the explanation for him. "Wigs can come undone. All it takes is a single careless brush or snag to reveal your identity to everyone."

"We'd know dat better den anyone!" Meowth chimed in.

Jessie continued as if he hadn't spoken, "The risk is too high. We have to make sure your disguise is something that can't be peeled off like a mask. It has to look natural."

"We can relent on the 'nothing permanent' clause. But a haircut isn't permanent, is it?" said James with a soft smile. He was trying to be kind. Ash just wasn't much in a mood to be thankful.

"Just… don't make me bald."

"A bald teenager aint exactly da look we were aiming fer."

When Jessie reached for a contact case, James caught her hand. "Nah. Too much chance for irritation. It'd end up giving him away if he was rubbing at his eyes too much, shifting it around."

"Ah right," Jessie nodded, shoving the case back into her bag.

"Awww. I was hoping to see how Ash would look like with blue eyes," Misty called out from the doorway.

Before Ash could twist around and glare at her, Jessie had already shooed the redhead away, closing the door tightly shut in her wake.

"Alright then. Let's get started. Ash, take off your shirt and let's get your head under the sink."

* * *

 **M** isty wasn't ignorant of Gary's attention of late. She hadn't exactly discouraged the flirting. It was kind of nice. The sort of normal she hadn't had in her life in a while. It was polite, always so polite. Nothing more than just holding hands and soft sweet compliments. Just like when they first started dating. If Misty just closed her eyes, she could pretend she was back there. A younger soul whose only concern was that she might not actually like Gary back as much as he liked her.

Misty hadn't talked to Gary about it. But she had a feeling that Gary didn't actually want to start back up where they had left off. He had taken their break up far harder than she had. It was kind of hard to take it hard when it was your own fault. Sure, for a few weeks, she hadn't wanted to do much of anything but lounge around the house in sweatpants and shovel down bowls of ice cream. But she sprang back into life with the help of her sisters and the demanding duties of a pokemon gym leader. Gary didn't have any of that. He wouldn't talk to her for months afterward. And when she tried to call, leave messages, none seemed to reach him. She couldn't blame him for being angry. But she hadn't wanted to stop seeing him. After all, once Ash had disappeared, Gary had quickly become one of her dearest friends.

There was a part of Misty that considered that maybe what was really getting to Ash was the relationship between her and Gary. He had been gone for so many years. It was entirely possible that such a friendship was jarring to him. Gary was his longtime rival and Misty his longtime traveling companion. Some worlds weren't supposed to overlap. Misty quickly brushed such a thought away; deeming it too childish. Perhaps a younger Ash would have thrown a hissy fit over Misty's choice in friends. But Ash was seventeen years old now. And he had way more pressing concerns occupying his thoughts than old childhood squabbles.

After having been shut out of the room where Ash's transformation was to take place, Misty decided not to return back to Gary's room. She wasn't really in the mood for more stitching. She wasn't really good at such a menial task. Her fingers were starting to cramp and she had already stabbed herself with the needle a good deal more than she'd like to admit.

Instead, Misty took a turn down into the basement of Elm's laboratories. It was here, after descending a set of rather poorly lit stairs, that Misty had discovered a series of water tanks. They were meant to house ailing or homeless pokemon. Elm and his fellow researchers rarely captured their own research candidates. They were almost entirely pokemon rescued from poor situations that they'd study while restoring back to health. Unlike Professor Oak, Elm didn't have as many pokemon trainers attached to his labs. Thankfully it wasn't too difficult for Elm to make the connections necessary to take overstock from the other pokemon professors of the nearby regions. He always managed to get his research completed.

There were a few unoccupied tanks in the corner. These were perfect for her own purposes. Misty tossed her pokeballs over the rim, releasing her small team into the water. She only held onto Togetic's, the solitary member of her team that wasn't a water type. Vaporeon took to the water quickest, trilling happily as she spun past Starmie and Magikarp.

Misty upended a nearby plastic crate and sat down to watch her pokemon for a while. Nothing calmed her more than watching the joy her pokemon expressed from being the water; all splashing and happy bubbles. The only thing better would be jumping into the water herself. Unfortunately, Elm's tank wouldn't accommodate any humans. It wasn't Cerulean gym after all.

And it was then, within the pleasure of the moment, Misty allowed her mind to settle. Ever since Giovanni had come to them, urgently warning them about Ash's probable plans to run, Misty hadn't allowed herself to take it all in; all the strangeness that had followed them since rescuing Ash from White Ice's clutches. Things were different. And not just a normal passing of time difference. The Ash she had met in Viridian City's pokemon center was a completely different person than the one they had rescued. She had been feeling it for a while now. It was a different air- a strange heaviness around him that she hadn't noticed before.

At first, Misty thought it had just been her imagination. It had been several years since she and Ash had been in each other's company. Their brief reunion in Viridian wasn't enough to reveal all of Ash's new character. And yet, that Ash was frustratingly familiar. Just as stupidly optimistic and careless. She loved how much he trusted, that blind faith that things would always work out.

This man was different. He seemed burned, closed off. Even his eyes seemed darker. Misty wrapped her arms around herself to fight a sudden chill. The memory of them, those eyes with their more intelligent gaze, was a bit unnerving. Since when did Ash look at people with such scrutiny, such sharpness? Ash was just as handsome as he had been before. He held himself as tall around others but, left on his own, he became skittish and fidgety, always looking one second away from either fight or flight. More than once, Misty had caught him muttering under his breath to himself. She hadn't recalled him ever having that habit before.

White Ice had done something to change him. For that alone, Misty could never forgive them. But there were plenty of reasons to despise White Ice. Giovanni had laid out the reasons plain that previous evening, right before they had massed together to confront Ash.

" _He was tortured," Giovanni had explained. His voice far more gentle than Misty could have expected from him. "The anxiety, how he keeps spacing out. He is probably suffering from what happened to him."_

" _How do you know this?" Gary breathed. Misty had the same question but she couldn't ask it herself. She felt like she was going to be sick._

" _He told me himself."_

" _Why would they do that?"_

" _Because they are evil! Those fucking bastards!" Misty finally spit out, unable to keep the emotion from her voice. Her voice cracked but she was too angry to cry. Giovanni acknowledged her response with a nod._

" _They probably thought he had information. Or they wanted to keep him compliant."_

" _I'm betting on the latter," said Gary rather unhelpfully._

" _True. Ash doesn't exactly have the best track record with patience. I'm sure he wasn't exactly willing to wait for a rescue."_

" _Why didn't he tell us? Why only you?"_

 _Giovanni couldn't quite meet Misty's eye. He did look appropriately guilty. "If I were to guess, he probably doesn't want to relive it… Or he's ashamed. Or perhaps maybe… he just isn't ready to have you know. Isn't ready for how you might treat him. I don't know Ash as well as the rest of you but even I am pretty sure he wouldn't enjoy being treated like he's… broken."_

Misty hadn't really liked any of those answers. But it would be just like Ash to hide when he was hurting. He did that when they were kids too. A paper cut would leave Ash rolling around in the dirt, whining like a baby. But then when breaking an ankle, he'd limp and drag himself for hours without saying a word. It was really one of the most infuriating things about him.

This wasn't a broken ankle. And Misty didn't know how to help him. She didn't even know if she could. Not if Ash wasn't willing to talk about it.

Somewhere deep down, Misty suspected that wasn't the only reason Ash had become so distant. There was something fundamentally changed in him. Something he hadn't dared to tell them about yet. And Misty was terrified to find out the source of.

Was that why he needed Mewtwo? Was it to undo what had been done to him?

Misty pulled herself up onto the crate, tucking in her legs and resting her chin on top of her knees. It felt somewhat better, holding herself in tighter. As if in these last few hours she had been coming slowly unraveled. And if she felt this way, Misty didn't want to know how the others were doing. Besides, she needed to stay strong. If she wanted to be a proper support for Ash, she couldn't let him down as she had before. No more breaking into messy tears. No more falling apart when the situations demanded actions from her. She wasn't going to be any else's damsel in need of rescuing.

A long time ago she had promised to be there for Ash. It felt like a hundred years now. That promise still held. No matter what had happened. No matter what deep dark secret Ash was still holding back. Misty was determined to stay here, close in his footsteps, just as she had always been.

After all, Ash needed all the people looking out for him as he could get.

* * *

 **M** isty eventually dragged herself back up the basement steps and into the main laboratory. While she had been hiding, the sun had begun to slink down from its high point in the sky. Warm golden light was pouring in from the far windows, painting the walls yellow. Misty longed to go outside and bask in it. But she had shirked from her responsibilities long enough.

After a quick stop by the kitchen for a handful of magikarp cheese crackers, Misty decided to check back in on Ash. Maybe they could make a small lunch before returning to packing and stitching and whatever menial task Gary had set up for them next.

The door was ajar. Misty took it as a sign that they must have finished up. She peeked around the door frame, ready to announce her return to the occupants in the room. But the sight that met her eyes stopped her voice up in her throat.

She almost didn't recognize him. Misty supposed in that way, Team Rocket had done their job. For one thing, Ash didn't have a shirt on. Something he quickly remedied as soon as he had spotted her face peeking from around the corner.

His hair was white. Not only was it white, a stark brilliant shade in such startling contrast to the color it had been before, but they had cropped it short. The sides of his hair had buzzed tight to his skull, leaving only a loose mop on top. The length on top fell loose over one side, into his eyes. Ash kept trying to push it out of his face.

It was a punk haircut and completely unlike anything Ash would ever inflict upon himself. And yet, Misty felt the hot blush crawl across her face before she could think to look away.

"Don't laugh!" Ash spat before she could say anything, hastily yanking his baggy black tee back over his head. "It wasn't my idea!"

"Of course it wasn't your idea. It's brilliant," Jessie simpered from over his shoulder.

Misty took a few more steps into the overcrowded room. She was far more careful in keeping her eyes off of Ash. Even though she yearned to look again, to take it in. Especially with his shirt off. Ash was far more toned than Misty ever remembered him being.

"It's not brilliant. I look like a clown."

Pikachu, who had been watching the exchange from the cot that currently still divided the room, chimed in with a few chuckled out comments. Ash responded by pushing the pokemon off the bed. That just make Pikachu laugh harder.

"So um.. Maybe I'm just not that well versed in the art," Misty began tactfully. "But, why is dyeing Ash's hair a more brilliant shade… less conspicuous?"

"He'll look like a criminal," Meowth said cheerfully.

"He already is one."

Ash winced and Misty instantly regretted her bluntness.

"Well, riddle me this, twerpette?" Jessie said, stepping casually across the cot to land on her side of the room. "When's the last time you've taken public transportation?"

"Um… last month?"

"Good. And when you did, if someone dangerous looking… Team Rocket looking… jumped on the train, how many people started to take a close detailed sketch of his features? How many openly stared so that they could describe him appropriately to the police later? Hell, how many don't immediately vacate the nearby seats to get away from him?"

Misty frowned. "So you're saying… because he looks like he's dangerous, less people will look at him?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. The majority of people avert their eyes when a Rocket member walks into a room. They don't want any trouble. We'll use that to our advantage."

"Best place to hide someone is in plain sight," James wisely chimed in.

"I still look like a clown," Ash grumbled.

"Oh, we'll put a few fake piercings in your ears and nose, slap on a washable tattoo, and no one will dare laugh." Jessie then reached over to fluff his hair, completely defeating the point she had been trying to make.

Ash smiled back like his mouth was full of knives. If only he hadn't made that face. Now Misty was laughing and feeling pretty sorry about it. At least, Ash didn't hold it against her. He just threw a damp towel at her face.

* * *

It hardly needed to be said that Ash hated his new look. When passing by a hallway mirror, he had been given a start- still not recognizing himself in the glass. It didn't help that anytime anyone saw him they had to make such a big deal about how different he looked. Gary actually dropped his half-eaten sandwich on the floor when Ash had finally gone into the kitchen for something eat. Ash wanted to pick it up and shove into his stupid bewildered face. Instead, he just sighed and tried to ignore it, and the inevitable teasing that came along shortly after.

At least Giovanni had the decency to neither stare nor acknowledge the change. He simply affirmed it with a nod and then continued with his business. If only everyone had just accepted the change as gracefully.

Misty didn't think Ash could tell she was staring. Ash could. And it was starting to grate on his nerves. He knew it was hideous but he didn't think it merited that much staring.

Finally getting a moment to himself, Ash quietly slipped out a side door to eat his hastily made ham and mayo sandwich out on one of the stoops that opened out into Elm's expansive property. Like Professor Oak's laboratory, Elm's was perched on the precipice of an expansive forest. But Pallet town was surrounded by scraggy young trees and heavy grassland. This was a Johto forest, thick and gnarled. The trees were pressed together so tightly, it was difficult to see more than a few trunks in.

Ash munched on his sandwich, trying to ignore how cold his neck felt, bereft of its shelter of hair. Pikachu pawed at his hand, trying to beg for bits of crust. Ash was only too happy to oblige.

" _So you wanna talk about it?"_ Pikachu said, grabbing up the bit of offered bread.

"About what?"

" _About what's eating you? Who else?_ Pikachu pi. _"_

Ash took a larger bite out of his sandwich as an answer. Pikachu sighed, leaning his head against Ash's thigh. _"Come on. Even she could tell you're being moody."_

"I am not."

" _She's coming with us now. You can't just keep pouting anytime she's around. It's gonna get old real fast."_

"I told you. I'm not pouting."

" _I'm not going to argue with you,_ Pikapi _."_

"Good. Then don't."

"Pikapi…"

Ash shoved the rest of his sandwich into his mouth and dusted off his hands on his shirt and jeans. Mouth still full of bread and meat, Ash couldn't answer Pikachu's probing questions. And neither could Mew, whom Ash had felt stirring in the back of his consciousness at the start of this unwanted exchange.

" _If you aren't going to fight for her, then let her go,"_ Pikachu spat at last. _"Stop pining after her like a mopey human."_

Ash choked down what still remained in his mouth, swallowing hard. He cast Pikachu a sour look. "I am a mo- a human. Mostly human."

" _It's an expression."_

"You have pokemon expressions about humans? You have… negative pokemon expressions about humans?"

" _You have expressions about us,"_ Pikachu shrugged. _"Turnabout fair play."_

Ash shook his head. He jumped off the stoop, stretching out his arms and keeping his eyes on the forest and away from the laboratory behind him. It was far easier to look at.

"I'm not pining after her."

" _Oh please."_ He could practically hear the pokemon rolling his eyes. Ash knew better than to acknowledge it.

"I know she is with Gary."

" _Do you? Have you asked her?"_

At this, Ash paused. He frowned down at his pokemon sidekick. "I… No. But… I can't just- that would be…"

" _What?"_

"Rude," Ash finished lamely.

" _I don't know much about human social conventions but I'm pretty sure Pikachu pi wouldn't attack you for simply asking about her boyfriend."_

"It is when her boyfriend happens to be my best friend… who dated her without telling me."

" **May I say something?"**

"Absolutely not," Ash retorted before his lips even stopped moving. Mew, however, continued unheeded.

" **You have feelings for this fellow human, yes? Misty?"**

Ash threw up his hands in aggravation. Since he wouldn't answer, Pikachu took it upon himself to answer for his master.

" _Yes. He does."_

" **Then why not let her know? I could talk to her, if that would be-"**

"No!"

" **Then, you. Give her the choice of suitors. If the choice is too difficult, you and Gary may contest for her love. As Pikachu said, you seem awfully reluctant to fight for her. Why is that?"**

Ash ran his hands down his face, mumbling into them. "Humans aren't like pokemon. We don't fight each other for dates."

" **Well technically pokemon do not spar for 'dating' rights. Its for the right to mate with the other-"**

"Oh my god, please stop!"

" **Isn't that the human's end goal too?"**

"I said stop!"

" **I forgot that that word upsets him,"** Mew said to a grinning Pikachu. His pokemon partner slinked nearer, finding far more enjoyment in Ash's discomfort than the other two.

He scrambled back up onto Ash's shoulder all so he could lean in and whisper, _"Mate mate mate!"_

"Pikachu, I have never regretted being able to understand you more."

" _Mate mate!"_

Before Ash could knock the offending pokemon off his shoulder, the door opened. And who should step out but the very person they had been talking about. _Speak of the devil and she shall appear._ Ash shot ramrod straight, looking very much like a stantler caught in oncoming headlights. If she hadn't been suspicious of his one-sided conversation before, she certainly would be now.

Misty stepped cautiously off the back steps, her eyes lowered and words just as soft and careful as her movement. As if she was afraid of scaring him off. And maybe she would.

"Hey."

"Uh… Hey."

Misty held her arms behind her back and tried to casually look around. The action seemed rather stiff and rehearsed. But at least she was trying to look normal. Ash was still frozen where she had caught him.

"So… what are you doing out here?"

"Nothing," Ash answered a bit too quickly. "Just- just thinking. I was just about to go back in-"

"Oh okay."

Misty stepped aside as if to let him pass. Ash found himself hesitating. It wasn't just because of the expectant looks that Pikachu was giving him. Much as Ash didn't want to admit it, there was a definite part of him that wanted to end whatever this awkward dance was between the two of them. He had hoped that the best the way to end it would be the same way as before. He'd simply run away. All the awful butterflies and burning feelings were easier to deal with if you could just stay away from whatever caused it. So, at thirteen years old, his answer was to walk away. It seemed that even four years later, his answer was still to walk away.

He owed it to himself this time to try.

"Misty I-"

"It's okay, Ash. You don't have to tell me anything. I told you, you can talk to me when you're ready."

It took Ash a moment to realize that she had misunderstood. He shook his head.

"No, I mean. Thank you but no, that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"What is it?"

She was looking at him so earnestly that Ash's courage faltered again. Somehow Ash realized that no matter how she reacted, no matter if she accepted him or rejected him- this would change. The soft expectant smile, the casual way she was leaning away from him, even how comfortable she was with him. She trusted him. The way she looked at him would change, split into a few possible outcomes. Disgust and pity or acceptance and love. He could see each expression just as clearly on her face as the one she currently had. Ash wasn't sure he was okay with any sort of change. He liked her just as she was. Just as she had always been.

Ash inexplicably found a smile slip across his face. _This is fine,_ Ash realized. _I'm okay with just this._

"Nothing," Ash smiled, shaking his head. "I just wanted to thank you, you know? For everything. You're a good friend, Misty."

Misty returned the smile warmly. Ash's heart still skipped a beat at the sight, but this time, he didn't mind so much.

"I don't know why you are thanking me. I didn't do anything you wouldn't have done if our roles were reversed."

"But still… it means a lot to me. That you all were trying so hard to save me. You especially, Misty. No one else would have been there if not for you."

"I just called for help. I didn't do anything more than what anyone else would have done."

Ash lightly pushed her shoulder, a playful gesture. One he wanted to take back as soon as he had done it. It was a test, to force himself to be more comfortable with this; this new normal he had decided on. "You need to learn how to accept a compliment," Ash smiled.

"Ha. I guess I do. I'm sorry, Ash. Yes, you're welcome," She smiled again and Ash felt like his heart might burst. But that smile was all his and he could be quite happy with it.

"Well then… I guess," Ash said hesitantly as he stepped around her to head for the door. "I'll see you back inside."

Misty gave a backhand wave. "See ya."

Ash closed the door behind him. And it was only after he had left that the smile fell from Misty's face.

"What are friends for?" She muttered into the dead air.

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Hey all! Sorry for the super wait. There are a few pre-written chapters following this one. They just need editing before release. So look forward to more following this update!

Special thanks to those who have reviewed this new story so far: remisolleke, JesusChrist, A Person, suttonrose, AshKetchumForever, YumeTakato, thor94, and Shaveza. I love and appreciate all your feedback!

And next time on HIA, Ash and co secure transport for their journey to Mewtwo.

Happy holidays! Please look forward to chapter three sometime next month!


	3. It's a Start

**Last Time On Hia:  
** A terrible nap, makeovers, mixed feelings, suspicions and unrequited love.  
Quote: _"If you aren't going to fight for her, then let her go."_

 **Chapter Three:** It's a Start

I find it hard to tell you how I want to run away  
I understand it always makes you feel a certain way  
I find a balance in the middle of the chaos  
-Imagine Dragons

 **A** sh stared as the promised transportation lumbered into Elm's main yard, plowing through puddles as a sudden rain heralded its entrance. It puttered up to the front door, spitting out exhaust in its wake. It sat steaming and dripping in the warm rain. Sheltered by front entry's overhang, with a sweatshirt's hood pulled up over his ears, Ash was in no fit state to meet with the driver. Not that he was supposed to. He was supposed to just witness and report. Ash cast a sidelong look at Gary who was standing proud, arms crossed and nodding as he marveled.

"A pokemon food wagon?"

"A covered wagon," Gary returned with a wink. "My Gramps often had these delivering food for the pokemon in our lab's supply. I once hid away in one. Got halfway to Cerulean before Gramps realized what happened."

"I remember that," said Ash mildly, still unable to look at the wagon with anything other than disgust.

The front cab looked dented and rusted; its rolled down side windows smeared and discolored yellow by age. The back wagon didn't look that much better. Though certainly covered, as Gary mentioned, with a weather green tarp, it smelled strongly of hay and dried cake-y pellets that were undoubtedly still hiding underneath.

Gary playfully slapped his friend on the back. "Yeah, you wouldn't get in with me, you coward."

"It was a dumb idea."

"Yeah, but usually you are all about those."

"When they are _my_ dumb ideas."

"Well, this," Gary gestured to the monstrosity in front of them. "Isn't your idea. It's mine. And it's brilliant."

"Ugh, what is it?"

Always with impeccable timing, Team Rocket had decided to step outside the laboratory to join the others. Jessie and Meowth, always the more vocal of the trio, were unafraid to let their true impressions known. Only James stayed quiet in the background, eying the vehicle with some objectivity.

"It's our ride," Gary snapped, none too pleased with Jessie's immediate dismissal.

"Oh good. You are planning to have us delivered via this rust bucket to the doorstep of the world's most dangerous pokemon, reeking of pokemon kibble. Great plan. Genius level, this."

"Don't be stupid. We aren't riding in this the whole way."

"Can we not ride in it at all?" Meowth whined. Gary wisely decided to ignore the talking cat.

Once more, Gary had Ash by the shoulder. "I know my buddy here gets it. No one will ever suspect us sneaking out of here on a delivery truck."

Ash really kinda wished Gary wouldn't drag him into this. But, mindful of his promise to Misty, Ash bit his tongue. He was going to stay civil even if Gary irritated him to death. Which would probably happen sooner than later.

"He's right," James said, coming closer to inspect the grimy truck. He didn't dare duck into the rain for a proper inspection and instead simply 'hmm'ed and 'haa'ed at it from a careful distance. "I certainly wouldn't look twice at it."

"Who would?"

Although still thoroughly repulsed by it, even Jessie had to admit that it suited their needs perfectly. After loudly announcing her disapproval, Jessie had taken up sulking in a corner, arms crossed and pouting, probably regretting her altruism in volunteering for this mission. James and Meowth accepted their fate far more graciously. And as Gary went out to debrief the recruited driver, the task of letting Misty know fell upon Ash's shoulders.

It didn't take very long to track her down. He found her in the back room she had been originally sharing with Delia, folding things into her pack. Her back had been to the door when he slipped in. She turned at the sound of his footsteps, yelped and quickly shoved what she had been holding deep into her backpack. It took Ash a moment to realize that she had been folding up her lingerie.

"Knock, goddammit!" Misty snapped, her face going an adorable red under her already brilliant hair.

Ash threw up his hands defensively. "Sorry, sorry!"

She took a moment to catch her breath, tightly zipping her bag closed. As if there were any danger of Ash trying to sneak a peek again. Ash knew better than to try anything with her. Even before he had the interest in girls, Misty made him painfully aware of the consequences he'd suffer should he ever cross the line.

Misty blew some hair from her face before saying at last, "What is it?"

"Our chariot has arrived." At Misty's grimace, Ash realized she was probably better acquainted with Gary's plan than the others were. "I see you already know about the food wagon?"

"Gary mentioned it. Our gym sometimes enlists their services so I already knew what we were getting ourselves into."

He tried not to let the realization needle him. After all, he and Misty were simply friends, nothing more or less. What did it matter that Gary was talking to Misty alone, telling her things he wasn't sharing with the rest of them? They were dating, weren't they? Perfectly natural behavior between a couple… sharing everything.

Ash tried to shake loose the thoughts before they could take too much root in his head. A quick change of subject was in order to chase away the former thoughts.

"Is your gym going to be okay without you?" Ash asked.

Misty looked momentarily pensive, staring aimlessly off into the distance. It was only a second before her eyes snapped back into focus.

"Probably not. My sisters are pretty incompetent when it comes to running a gym at the best of times. But they take excellent care of our pokemon. I think I can trust them to keep the place from burning down. I'll worry about our gym rankings once I get back."

She spoke of it so definitely, as if it was a for sure thing. As if they didn't both have bounties placed on their heads. It would probably be quite some time before either of them would be able to return to normal; if Ash ever could.

Misty must have noticed how his eyes had darted away, guiltily. Her expression softened. Before Ash could stop her, Misty had stepped forward and gently pulled him into a hug. His heart immediately started pounding hard in his throat. But her arms tight around him was too wonderful to pull away from.

"Hey now," Misty said, pulling back to flash him one of her heart-stopping smiles. "It's going to be okay."

He tried to duck away from her optimism. But Misty was going to have none of that. Ash was given a start at her sudden touch; lifting his chin to meet her eyes. "It is going to be okay, Ash. I promise."

Ash couldn't help chuckling at that. "You shouldn't make promises like that."

"I mean it. You've got me with you now. No psychic pokemon can handle both of us together. We singlehandedly returned the sacred treasures to Shamouti island and saved the world, didn't we?"

"I did that."

"You drowned," Misty retorted, poking him in the forehead. "I pulled your dead weight from the water. If not for me, you'd be sucking seaweed on the bottom of the ocean floor. We both saved the world."

Ash rolled his eyes. "I'll admit you saved me."

"And I'd do it again. So, don't worry. Mewtwo can't possibly hurt you with me around."

Ash snorted again. "Mewtwo has never met a more fearsome opponent."

"You better believe it. It has no idea what it's dealing with."

It was clear that Misty's main goal was to get Ash to crack a smile. She succeeded, enjoying the sight of the young man who had been disappearing over the last couple of weeks. Sure, his hair was a rather weird shade now, but the smile was still there. It was a very welcome sight.

"Thank you, Mist."

Misty slung her pack over her shoulder. She couldn't resist poking him in the forehead one more time before heading out the door. "Thank me by knocking next time."

It didn't take long for Ash to be ready. He had already packed up everything he owned the day before, back when he was planning to take this journey solo. Upon adding his companions to his party, there wasn't a need to make many adjustments to his luggage.

Per Team Rocket's instruction, Ash had fastened a fake piercing to wind the outside rim of his ear. A fake helix piercing, they had explained. It a messy twist of bronze, possibly meant to imitate the snaking coil of some sort of dragon. To be honest, Ash hadn't looked at it that closely. That he had to wear the stupid thing at all, pinching at his ears, was irritating enough. He knew he looked ridiculous in it. He didn't feel like knowing how ridiculous.

Ash had refused the fake nose piercing, feeling that one pinching accessory was quite enough. Jessie had really tried to insist upon it. They compromised on a fake eyebrow piercing so long as Ash could wear a hoodie rather than the extravagant ripped up leather garb they had been trying to get him into. James glued the metal ball right above the arch of his brow and Ash immediately slipped on a Team Rocket approved hoodie. None of his were to be allowed, all of his clothing too obviously him. So the pitch back hoodie had a rather tasteless print of a cubone skull on it. Not exactly something Ash would have picked out. But Ash understood the look Team Rocket was trying to go for.

Instead of leaving at the break of dawn as Ash had planned, they were not heading out until the mid-afternoon. While Ash's plan was to cover as much ground as sunlight would allow, Gary's was to remain inconspicuous. It would be less odd for a food wagon to leave after having unloaded throughout the morning. So Ash impatiently waited away the morning as the rest of his party got ready. He hastily gave his goodbyes to Professor Elm around lunch time, scarfing down yet another ham and mayo sandwich (his culinary skills still left much to be desired). And then he was off. He was the first inside the wagon, tossing his stuff in and ducking in himself as soon as the rainstorm had let up.

He was anxious to get going. And though it was rather pointless to sit in the stationary wagon while the others were still getting ready inside, Ash still had the childish hope that if he waited it out in the wagon that maybe it would spur his friends to hurry up.

Pikachu leaped in shortly after Ash swung in his duffel. He went straight to the corner, hoping to claim a spot amongst the haystacks that looked more comfortable than a place in the wagon's center. Ash approved of his pokemon's choice and wordlessly settled down beside him.

He had thought of taking a nap but the itchy straw was really not that soft. So instead he picked a spot on the overhanging tarp to stare at. He didn't let himself think anything. Thinking would invite Mew in. And he really didn't need a second mind's introspection added to his own.

A few minutes of silence were interrupted by the soft drum of rain picking up again outside. Ash was thankful that the tarp did its job tolerably well, leaking only a little in the far corners.

Ash had always found emptying his head fairly easy. He knew the others would joke that that was because there wasn't much going on in his head to begin with. Ash knew that wasn't true. He thought and mulled and worried over plenty of things. And sometimes, if he didn't keep it in check, it would overwhelm him just as it would anyone else. No, this was different. It was a kind of talent, or at least Ash liked to think so. It certainly made it easier for him to fall asleep in weird places.

He'd just pick a spot, let his gaze go soft and focus entirely on his breath. The feeling of air moving in and out of his body. The easy way in which his chest and abdomen would rise and fall. It was the comfortable way of grounding himself. Of knowing everything was still working. That he was still alive, still breathing.

It kept him present and chased everything else away.

Everything was starting to feel far away, his eyelids growing heavy when Ash was startled back into himself. The side of the tarp rustled as someone lifted the side and climbed in.

"Yo," Gary said, tossing in his own pack towards the back. Ash couldn't help but notice his friend's lack of disguise. The only unlike him was the button down off-white shirt and dark slacks he was wearing. It hardly altered his appearance.

"That's what you're going with?" Ash grumbled, rising himself back into a sitting position.

Gary only smiled, gesturing towards his own attire with a certain smugness. "Like it?"

"It's not much of a disguise."

"That's because it's not finished." Gary then procured a pair of folded glasses from his back pocket. They were thick black frames that looked suspiciously like they had once belonged to Gary's father. Gary slipped them on and then struck a pose. "Ta dah!"

"Wow," Ash smiled. "What a change! You actually look like you have a brain."

Gary playfully punched his friend on the shoulder. "Hey! Don't knock it. Clark Kent was an expert of disguise."

"Right, sure."

"Besides, I don't have an accurate character composite done of me. It will be much easier for me to ward off suspicion. It's you and Misty that we have to worry about."

"And Team Rocket."

Gary rolled his eyes. "Sure, if you want to count them."

Gary stretched and then shuffled back towards the entrance. Before Ash could ask, Gary started talking,

"Just popped into to let you know that we're gonna head out in a few. Figured you'd be here. Just waiting on the others."

"Are you not riding back here?"

"Nah," He thumbed his nose and smiled. "Riding up front in the cabbie. Someone has to give our driver directions."

"Aren't you worried about being seen?"

"Who me? I'm just a young college kid hitchhiking my way back home. Nothing that unusual. I'll be fine. It's my delinquent friends in the back that I worry about."

"We'll just sleep."

"Sure. If you can," Gary shrugged. And then, suddenly frowned. "If somehow we do get pulled over, you need to run out of here first. No playing hero or anything like that. You get yourself to safety first."

"Really-"

"I mean it, Ash," Gary pointed his finger hard in Ash's face, the humor completely gone from his face. "I know you. I know what you'd do. You got some chosen one shit going on again and you're the one we need to get up that mountain. Not me, not Misty, not Meowth- you. So if the time comes that we run into problems, you get your ass out. We'll handle ourselves better without having to worry about you running in trying to get yourself killed."

Ash didn't say anything to that. And Gary clearly didn't like the silent look that Ash leveled his way. "I'm not joking, Ash."

"I didn't think you were."

"Promise me, then. Promise me you will get yourself out first." Gary held out his hand to shake.

Ash huffed and looked away. He made the mistake of looking at Pikachu, who was giving him a similarly piercing glare. It was clear he wouldn't win in this situation.

"Alright fine," Ash scoffed, taking Gary's hand at last. "I promise."

"Good." Gary gave his friend's hand a hard shake, seemingly satisfied. And with that, he jumped back out of the wagon.

"I'm not sure why you were taking his side," Ash grumbled to his pokemon as soon as Gary was safely gone. "Last time you got so pissed at me for leaving you behind."

" _I got pissed because we were forcefully separated. That was different. But don't worry… if it comes to running, I'll run with you."_

"Thanks buddy."

" _But you will run. Gary is right. We need to get to Mewtwo. We can't do that if we get caught."_

Ash sighed, flopping himself backward into the hay. It didn't soften the ground nearly as much as Ash would have liked. "You're asking me to abandon everyone to save myself. I didn't agree to bring everyone else along just to use them as cannon fodder."

" _You aren't using them as… what?"_

"Cannon fodder. Means… making them expendable. It's a metaphone or something."

" _Metaphor."_

"Right, one of those."

Now it was Pikachu's turn to sigh. _"You aren't sacrificing them. They are trying to protect you. Just as you would do for them. It just so happens that you are an integral part to the completion of our mission. Without you, without Mew, we won't be able to convince Mewtwo to… do whatever you and Mew want him to do."_

"Talk to his grandma."

" _Really?"_

"Yes, really." After a beat. "At least, that's it basically. Mew's creator is some sort of all-powerful pokemon and we need Mewtwo to help calm it down. Mew thinks it will respond better to protests coming from family."

Pikachu settled down next to Ash. _"That's weird,"_ he said.

"Certainly not the weirdest thing I've been asked to do as a Chosen One. Collecting glowing stones. Healing a magic tree…"

" _A grandma fetch quest is weirder."_

"Well, I'm not fetching the grandma. I'm fetching the grandson."

" _Still weird."_

"Yeah, a little."

" _A lot."_

"Okay, okay," Ash conceded with a laugh. "A lot weirder."

Everyone else started to file in after a while. Ash tried not to protest too loudly about everyone else's lackluster disguises. At least Jessie and James tried. Team Rocket dressed up as fellow members of whatever gang Ash seemed to have joined. James dyed his hair a darker shade of blue and tied it back in a low ponytail. Sporting a sleeveless tank, the real aspect of his disguise were the elaborate tattoo sleeves he had on either arm. They looked surprising real, although Ash guessed the group had practice in such things. He had an arm of magikarps eating planets and a wide mouth gyarados roaring fiercely into the ether. He hid his too pretty face behind mirror shades.

Jessie likewise had a complete transformation. She had pulled her long red hair up into a high ponytail. She had sports jacket with a meaningless kanji character written on the back. At least it looked meaningful with its swift sweeping strokes. With a ball cap pulled low over her face and a skull bandana pulled over her mouth, she also completed a fierce look to match those of her compatriots. If only Meowth looked a little less like a cute mascot with his matching skull kerchief tied about his neck.

Misty, however, slipped in looking really no different than her usual self. She had on one of Ash's old baseball caps to hide her hair, but while her baggy clothes might have hidden most of her girlish figure, Ash didn't really see how it would fool anyone for long.

"Seriously, Misty?" said Ash exasperated and unable to hold in his disapproval any longer. At least Gary was less likely to be recognized. Misty didn't have that excuse. "That's hardly a disguise."

She flashed her pretty eyes at him, which only made Ash's expression sourer. She took her sweet time answering him too, busing herself with dropping a few more bags of provision in the corner.

"I thought you'd like how I incorporated your look into my style," Misty smirked at him.

"I shaved my head."

"Oh stop whining. It's a buzzcut," Jessie snapped. Ash chose to ignore her. Before Ash could complain some more, he was struck speechless as Misty pulled the hat off her head.

Her hair was blonde. She shook her head, her soft yellow hair now only reaching a little past her ears. It was a shaggy boyish look that was still cute but definitely meant to make her pass more for the boy she was pretending to be.

"That better?"

Her hands went subconsciously to her bare neck. Despite her casual words, Ash could sense the sacrifice in the gesture.

 _She did it for me,_ said a small hopeful thought in the back of his mind.

 _No, stupid,_ responded a meaner one, _She did it for herself, for the mission. To protect herself. It's not about you._

Ash decided to trust the meaner thought.

"I told you, not blonde," Jessie moaned, stretching out from where she had her partners and set up in the far end of the wagon. "You make a terrible blonde. Darker colors would look better with your complexion."

"And I told you, Jessie, that I didn't care about that," Misty retorted smartly, shoving Ash's cap back over her head. Ash could still the bits of yellow bangs peeking out from under the brim. She had even dyed her eyebrows, something Ash hadn't noticed until now. Not even Ash had been that brazen in his disguise. Although he supposed that red eyebrows on a blonde would be kind of suspicious. It was already clear that Ash's hair was a dye job. Misty was trying to look natural.

He preferred her red hair, of course. It was part of what made Misty, Misty. But she didn't look bad with yellow hair. It brought out the green in her eyes in a different and yet, still beautiful way. Ash thought she looked pretty cute with the shaggy haircut, not that he'd ever say so. Instead, despite the opening she had given him for comment, Ash had simply stared- like an idiot. In fact, he was still staring. He couldn't really think of any way to recover- no helpful witticisms came his way. Not that Ash had ever really been known for his wit. That had always been more her department anyway.

Ash was rescued by the final entry into the wagon, a person Ash had not expected. Giovanni, disguised only in the causal clothing he had borrowed from Professor Elm, ducked inside. The others didn't react to his entrance as Ash had. Misty had chosen not to acknowledge him at all. Team Rocket, however, quickly moved over to give him the more comfortable space. Meowth even simpered out something about how happy he was that the boss was coming along.

"Why are you here?" Ash spat, once he had gotten feeling back in his face again.

"I asked to come along," Giovanni responded coolly.

"I don't want you here. Leave. Now."

Ash's words had more effect than even Ash suspected they would. The older man flinched, obviously thinking back to the last confrontation they had had.

Heedless of the tension between them, beyond the ordinary kind between estranged father and son, Misty had unfortunately decided to spare the former Team Rocket boss. She did so with great reluctance. And even when speaking on the other man's behalf, she didn't look in either's direction.

"He knows Mewtwo better than any of us. We all agreed that he should come along."

Ash rounded on Misty. "I didn't agree!"

"Well, Ash. You're one vote against all the rest of us. I'm not that thrilled with it either but he is the only one who can give us information on Mewtwo."

"He is not!" Ash spat out before he could stop himself.

Misty arched an eyebrow his way. "Oh? Who else then?"

Giovanni knew. He was looking pointedly Ash's way, clearly waiting to see how honest his son was willing to be. How much did Ash hate Giovanni coming along?

Ash violently wrestled with his own emotions. They were all tangled up in a desire to chase the man away and yet to also keep Mew's presence a secret. He only had to have a brief flash of the dream he had the night before to know that talking about Mew was not the answer. Much as he hated having Giovanni along, Ash couldn't disclose who could possibly have better information.

"No one," Ash muttered, sitting back down. "I just don't like it."

"Your objection is noted," said Giovanni, ignoring Ash's swift glare that followed his words. "I will be sure to stay as much out of the way as it possible for me to be."

That was probably the best he could hope for. Ash settled back down into his chosen spot just in time for the engine of the truck to rumble to life. A sharp three knocks sounded from the front cabin, giving Ash a start. He had no idea what to make from the sound, but thankfully Misty did. She reached forwards and responded with three sharp knocks of her own.

It was only then that Ash realized what it was supposed to mean.

 _Are you ready?_

 _Yes, we are._

And Ash supposed they were. With that, they finally lurched out of Elm's laboratory and started off, at long last, on their journey. Their journey towards Mewtwo.

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely holiday season!

Special thanks to those who reviewed last time: Ashora and the many guests who reviewed anonymously! I appreciate every review you guys leave!

Look forward to another update sometime in February. Next time on HIA, Ash and company start on their journey to Mewtwo. See you all next time!


	4. Blue Eyes

**Last Time On Hia:  
** Transportation woes, self-preservation, and unwanted fathers.  
Quote: "I don't want you here. Leave. Now."

 **Chapter Four:** Blue Eyes

Time is relentless and undying  
And we can't move on 'til we stop looking back  
And I promise you I'm trying.  
-McKenna Breinholt

It wasn't long before Ash regretted getting into the wagon so much earlier than the others. His legs had already gone stiff, cramped up in this space as they were. Despite the cold rain drumming the outside of the tarp, the air underneath it was stale and unpleasantly warm. That, and they could feel every single rock and bump that the wagon wheels rolled over. One small twig crunching under the back wheels would send the whole group bouncing up and down painfully. The hay wasn't cushioned enough to brace their falls.

Even Ash's ability to lose himself in his own mind was challenged by the discomfort of the space. It wasn't for lack of trying. But after his head was knocked against the floor slabs by a small bump in the road for the third time, Ash decided it was probably not going to be possible.

Team Rocket had taken up talking amongst themselves for a while. Meowth pulled out a deck of cards. They played a couple of rounds of some classics: old maid, go fish, crazy eights until even the distraction of a card game lost its appeal. After an hour or two, their games had tapered off into soft snoring. Or rather loud, muffled snoring in Jessie's case.

Ash was jealous of their ability to sleep so soundly even while being knocked around like they were in here. Ash felt like a metal ball being rattled about a tin can. Although Ash supposed that, like him, Team Rocket had gotten used to getting their forty winks in wherever their bodies dropped.

Since Giovanni was hardly wanted on his son's side of their accommodations, he had taken up a place closer to where Team Rocket nestled. He leaned against the tarp covered wall, his eyes falling closed as soon as they had started off. But Ash knew better than to think the man was asleep. He was simply being true to his word and staying out of the way.

Just as Ash was giving up on rest, he suddenly noticed that Misty had crawled over to his side. She waited patiently, mistaking his half-lidded eyes as being closed. Unable to stand her sitting there and staring at him for long, Ash finally glanced over at her.

"What is it?" Ash whispered up at her.

"Do you have your pokedexter?"

"Yes. Why?"

Misty smiled sheepishly at him. "I can't fall asleep without music. Can I borrow it for a while?"

Misty had become rather well-acquainted with the functions of Ash's rare pokedexter during their childhood journeys. Not actually ever taking up the official mantle of pokemon trainer herself, Misty had never earned one. Not that she needed it. Whenever it was brought up, she would loudly announce how much more about pokemon she knew than Ash. She saw the pokedexter as a badly-needed handicap that Ash needed when the rest of the world actually went to pokemon educational schools.

Misty's family had been able to afford her education into pokemon at a very young age. They also had to, if she were to become the future gym leader that Cerulean expected her to be. Ash was just lucky he was able to sneak downstairs at night to watch pokemon matches late on TV without his mom noticing. Not that he hadn't often begged his mother to take him to those schools. He desperately wanted the years of experience that most trainers had before they even started off on their journeys. But his mom couldn't afford it, and she said he didn't need it. Although, if she'd seen how he bumbled his way through the first year of his pokemon journey, she might have rethought her opinion on those private schools.

A pokedexter was simply meant to supplement the knowledge of pokemon they, as trainers, were already supposed to have. Ash certainly did rely on it a bit too much when he was younger. It was the teacher he had never gotten from a fancy pokemon training school.

Despite Misty's haughty attitude about the pokedexter, she'd still borrow it from him all the time. To look up certain aspects of a water pokemon she was thinking of. To search the area features for any pokemon nearby she might be interested in hunting for. She borrowed it even more frequently when Ash had it upgraded in Johto. She loved to plug her headphones in and listen to the radio as they walked. He'd had a really hard time getting it back from her back then.

His current version of pokedexter couldn't play the radio anymore, but that was more due to radios being rather outdated now. Streaming music was the new thing, and Professor Oak and his team were sure to include such functionality in the latest versions.

Ash frowned. "Why don't you just use your phone?"

"Battery's dead," She clapped her hands together and gave Ash her biggest puppy dog stare. "Please, Ash. Just for a little while. Pretty please."

Ash let out a deep sigh. Misty's expression instantly brightened, knowing she'd finally worn him down. He rolled over, reaching into his front pocket to extract the slim pokedex.

"Here," Ash said, tossing it into her waiting hands. "Don't break it."

"Thank you. I won't."

Ash rolled back over to stare at the wall. But even this change of position wasn't helping him rest. After a few minutes, he rolled back over. Without even meaning to, his eyes rested on Misty again. She was curled up in the corner, earbuds in her ears, smiling and nodding along to the music with her eyes closed. A soft light started to glow from her pack. By the time Ash had noticed it, Misty was almost certainly asleep. Ash scooted closer and shook her by the shoulder- but nothing. The music was still puttering from her headphones but her breathing was deep.

Feeling a little guilty about it, but worrying that it could be something important, Ash reached into her bag to pull out her smartphone—fully charged. Ash smiled wryly at the green bar. It was just like her to take his pokedex even when her own device was available. Just like when they were kids. Although it was a lot harder to know when a CD player was out of power than a smartphone.

Her phone was unlocked, to Ash's surprise. He had only meant to see the quick notification display of who was calling, but the phone immediately went to her main screen. And there, tucked behind all the apps, was a picture of the three of them. Misty had chosen a picture of them as her backdrop. The sight made his heart skip a beat or two.

It was taken shortly after they had entered the Indigo League stadium for Ash's first big match. He remembered being so horribly nervous then. His smile was more of a grimace. Both Brock and Misty looked more far more comfortable, her arm draped over his shoulder and Brock sporting a playful victory sign. Ash knew now that they'd both worried about him more than they ever let on. The truth came out in time, during leagues where he was more prepared. They'd talk about that time, and how much less nervous for him they had become over the years. They knew he wasn't prepared back then, but they still wanted to support him the best way they could, staying optimistic and cheering him on with all their hearts. Ash smiled softly at the memory. He really had some great friends.

If they hadn't been there for him then, would he had even competed? Ash couldn't be sure. Even then, he had a habit of wanting to run away from unpleasant things. He had some confidence, but it'd been the sort of confidence that came from ignorance. It wasn't a lot and it was braced by the faith of his friends and pokemon. Without them, he would have been just a cardboard cut-out trying to hold back a breaking dam.

Misty had kept the picture all this time. And despite the pain looking at it had to cause her, she kept it as her backdrop. It caused him pain too, a sweet sort of pain. The ten-year-old boy in that picture grew up to be such a jerk.

He probably shouldn't have, but Ash found himself opening her picture gallery. Inside, there unfolded a life that had carried on without him in it. She didn't often take pictures of herself. Having three beautiful older sisters sporting extreme levels of vanity stole what little self-confidence she might have had without them. If she managed to pop into her own photographs, it seemed it was only to prove she had been there, at that location, with those people, around those pokemon. None of the photos focused centrally on her, even if that was all that Ash himself could focus on.

For him, time had passed quickly. He flashed through those four years in the span of a few breaths. There were moments of pain and loneliness; that's when things slowed down. He'd been pulled back towards home then, terrified of facing them all. But somehow, fate had intervened and his journey carried him far away again. Ash hadn't realized how long it had actually been until he stared at her photographs. There were so many stories in here that he hadn't been a part of. That used to be okay with him. But now, seeing her holding Gary's hand, Ash realized he had been kidding himself.

Gary was in here too. An interloper who'd pop into a few photographs, mugging for the camera. They liked to jump into photo booths, it was the only photos Gary seemed to be able to drag Misty into. At first, they were just friendly, then they were overly so—Gary touching her and Misty leaning into his embrace. Until finally, they kissed. Ash put his thumb over the faces in the photo as if he could erase the subjects by simply covering them up. So much for hoping that Misty and Gary hadn't actually been dating.

"Not the most gentlemanly behavior," a sudden voice interrupted, giving Ash a terrible start. Ash whirled about, surprised to find that not everyone had been asleep like he had thought. James was looking at him with a certain mix of amusement and disapproval on his face. "Pretty sure she wouldn't appreciate you snooping through her phone, Ash."

"I was just—I mean, it was unlocked and I—" His protests fell flat in his mouth. He quickly closed the phone and shoved it back into her backpack. He feared that James might have woken her, but Misty slept on, heedless of Ash's actions. Ash stared guiltily down at her sleeping face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"That's right. And you should apologize to her when she wakes up."

Once more, James had given him a start. Ash sent him a wide-eyed look. "What? She'd hate me!"

"Then you shouldn't have looked in the first place," James replied coolly. Ash quickly realized he didn't have a leg to stand on here. Under James' judging stare, Ash surrendered.

"You're right, of course. I'll talk to her when she wakes up… and apologize."

They sat in guilty silence for a bit. Until James decided to close the distance between them and scoot closer. He still kept a careful distance from Ash's sleeping pikachu. He knew better than to trust Pikachu would immediately tell friend from foe upon waking.

"Instead of creepily spying on her, you could just tell her your feelings."

Ash's face cracked. _Not this again!_

"No offense, James. But I'm not much in the mood for love advice from Team Rocket."

"Not necessarily love advice. She could turn you down flat."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Thanks for that."

"No seriously. I'm only suggesting it because well, it's clearly bothering you. I can see the way you look at her." He scooted closer still, coming close enough to touch. But James wasn't Gary or Brock. They weren't friends in that way. He wouldn't be offering a comforting hug or a playful slap on the back. He was simply going to sit close and leave a careful comfort of air between them.

Ash tried to stare at the floor and betray nothing else. He was really getting sick and tired of how easy it was for everyone to read his feelings. Everyone except Misty, of course. "You guys have been with each other since you were kids. It's only natural. Jessie and I even put bets on who would confess first… kinda forgot who I was pulling for though. It's been years. When you took off and left them all behind, well. Figured that was probably the end of it."

"I actually didn't like her… for a long time," Ash muttered, twisted his hands in his lap as he spoke. "When people would tease, it would make me so angry. She was just a friend and I didn't know why everyone kept trying to make things weird. And then—one day, I'm not sure when—things were different. Not all at once. Just bit by bit, I started to notice things that I didn't hate. Like how her hair was a nice color and how not many other girls I knew had hair like that. Then it was the way she'd walk, so tall, like how nothing bothered her. And then it was how she'd freak around bug pokemon. I always thought that was pretty funny. I liked—I liked to watch her. I found myself watching her more and more often. The more I tried to find things to dislike about her face or her way of speaking, the more everything just seemed to become less awful, more pleasant." Ash swallowed, his mouth feeling suddenly uncomfortably dry. His eyes darted around the wagon, suddenly anxious that he had been speaking too frankly and too loudly in the enclosed space. But no one else seemed to be stirring. Misty still slept with music playing in her ears. Jessie and Meowth snored loudly in the far corner. And even Giovanni had stooped a little forward in his sleep.

James smiled at him. "I guess I win the bet."

"Huh?"

"Well, you didn't confess to her but that was certainly a confession."

"What, no!" Ash felt his face growing hot. "I thought you said you didn't remember who bet on who."

"I lied," He pointed at his face playfully. "Team Rocket."

"I hate you."

"Aw, don't be like that. I promise I won't tell a soul."

"Except Jessie."

"Nah. I'll wait until it's more official. She wouldn't believe me, anyway."

Ash sighed, sinking into his knees. "I'm really bad at this whole letting her go thing."

"Well, letting her go would require you getting some conclusion. And you aren't going to get any of that unless you talk to her."

"You make it sound easy."

"It's not. Probably be one of the hardest things you'll ever do. But trust me, you won't start to feel better until you do." Ash peeked over at James suspiciously. He acknowledged Ash's glance. "Yeah, I've been in your place before."

Ash frowned, his eyes instantly zeroing in on the other redhead in the wagon. Jessie's head was thrown back in the throes of sleep, her snores echoing around the space. "Jessie?"

To James' credit, he laughed. "Pretty obvious, huh? Yeah. It was her."

Jessie was snoring so violently that Ash was finding it really difficult to see what James saw in her. There was even a bit of drool pooling at the corner of her mouth. Not exactly the picture of beauty. But then again, Ash hadn't thought Misty beautiful at first either.

"So… did she—?"

"Rejected me. Stone cold flat. Several times."

Ash looked at James incredulously. "Seriously?"

"Yup."

"Geezus… Why do you seem so okay with it?"

"I told you. Because you'll feel better, once she knows." James shuffled in his seat, his shoulder knocking against Ash's arm as he did so. Perhaps it was intentional. Perhaps not. Ash didn't look up from the floor. "Jessie knows and eventually we did start dating. It's not perfect. Off and on a lot. But we're honest with each other. You should be honest with Misty."

Easier said than done. Ash worried on his bottom lip. He could feel the warmth of Mew's presence rising in his chest again. She wouldn't say anything, but she was clearly agreeing with James' assessment.

"What Misty and I have… it could change if I tell her my feelings."

"The thing is, Ash, it already has changed. You can't ignore it by keeping your true feelings bottled up. It will eventually eat you up."

"She's dating Gary."

"Who?"

"Gary," Ash nodded his head towards the front cabin. "My other friend."

"Oh, spikey-haired guy?" James made a face. Ash had to admit that he liked the disapproval on James' face. "Too bad."

"So you see why I just can't—"

"You should still let her decide. Not going to lie, if she's in a relationship right now, she probably won't choose you. That's just the way it goes." Again, he knocked against Ash's arm. "But you should still tell her. Let her make the choice."

"I just don't know," Ash covered his face with his hands.

"Just sleep on it. You'll see. You'll feel much better once you tell her."

And with that, James left Ash. He went back to his corner and fell asleep far too easily. Ash was up for many hours after, staring at a spot in the ceiling and hating that he just couldn't do it.

Time would have passed easier if there were windows for Ash to look out of. Instead, he was forced to stare at nothing and feel only the roughness of the road they bounced over. He might have nodded off a few times. But with nothing to properly gauge the time (Misty still had his pokedexter hugged tight to her chest) he had no way of knowing for how long. Eventually, their speed seemed to slow. Ash could feel them turning down roads with more curves and bends; they were off the main roads, then. When they rolled to a stop at last, most of their party woke instantly. Giovanni had a hand on his pokebelt. Jessie had shot up with a surprising alacrity, yanking both Meowth and James awake with her. Ash could even spot Pikachu's bright eyes blinking in the dark. Only Misty remained still where she was curled up on the floor.

Ash crawled closer to her, protectively. If they were just about to be discovered, Ash wanted to be sure he stayed as close to Misty as possible. So that he could wake her. So that he could carry her if need be. If he had to run, Gary never said that he couldn't have anyone else running with him. And he thought his chances would be infinitely better with another fierce pokemon trainer at his side.

It turned out their worry was unfounded. Three sharp knocks against the cabin relaxed the group. This time, Ash was the one to knock back. His knocks were answered by Gary's head slipping through open ties of the tarp.

"Hey, how are you all doing?"

"Terrible. How are you?" Jessie snarked back. Gary only smiled.

"Good good. Look, we're at a truck stop. There's a store. I'm gonna get us something to eat. We should be coming to our first campsite in an hour. Think you all can hold on until then?" Before Jessie could reply in the negative, Gary continued with. "Good! Smell you later!"

As soon as Gary was gone, Jessie's tense anger deflated. She fell back onto the floor with a large moan.

"I seriously can't take much more of this."

"We just started, Jessie," said James. Jessie just waved him off.

"Shut up, James. Don't remind me."

Ash appraised their squabbling from a new perspective. He supposed it wasn't all that different from the way he and Misty used to talk to each other, back before this awkwardness had walled up between them. Maybe James was right. Maybe things had already changed and he just hadn't wanted to notice it.

Ash didn't watch them long. His gaze crossed path with that of Giovanni's, instantly killing his pleasant mood. Crossing both arms and legs, Ash about-faced and went back to staring at his blank spot on the tarp.

They weren't at the truck stop for long. Gary had tossed in a few snacks into the back before climbing back into the truck's cabin. The group poured over the small selection of multi-flavored potato chips and dry trail mix. It was a meager selection but more than enough to tide them over until the evening.

Although Ash was kinda wishing Gary had thought to grab them a few cans of soda pop or something. After the potato chips, his mouth was rather dry. He had a bottle of lukewarm water in his pack but Ash was really in the mood for something cold.

Misty eventually woke. Ash, who had saved some of the convenience store food for her, was eager to pass it to her. Perhaps a little too eager. She had barely wiped the sleep from her eyes before Ash was there, pushing a half-eaten bag of potato chips on her. To her credit, she took it with good humor. It wasn't until they had reached their campsite that evening that Ash got up the nerve to actually talk to her.

The truck had come to stop again. Gary popped in to give them the all clear. Team Rocket was quick to scramble for the exit. And before Misty could jump out of the wagon herself, Ash had caught her arm.

"Hang on a second, Mist."

"Hm? What is it?" She pulled an earbud out of her ear. Ash was still finding it near impossible to meet her eye. So instead, he focused on a spot just above her left shoulder.

"I… I—um… I accidentally looked at your phone."

Ash couldn't see the whole of her face. But from the corner of his eye, he spotted her lips dip into a frown.

"I hadn't meant to look. But I did. And you deserve to know. I apologize."

"I see…" She was hugging his pokedexter tight to her chest. Still, Ash couldn't bear to look her in the eye. "Did you see something you weren't supposed to?"

Ash felt his face go hot. "N—no. I just—I just looked at your photo gallery, I swear."

"Ah." Misty was silent. She was probably trying to remember what photos he had possibly come across, and whether she should be more furious with him or not. "Ash… I appreciate you telling me."

"Are you angry with me?"

"Yes, a little," She shrugged, then held the pokedex out for him. "Just don't do it again."

Ash grabbed the dexter without thinking about it. His hands brushed hers. He ignored the feeling, quickly pulling the device back and shoving it unceremoniously into his back pocket. "Yes, ma'am."

She arched an eyebrow at him but said nothing. Instead, after a pause, she asked, "Was that all you wanted to talk about?"

And once more Ash found himself in a moment. The tarp was hanging open but no one was coming in to interrupt. In his head, all Ash could see were the happy pictures Misty had with Gary; holding him and kissing him. It held his tongue down. Or at least, he thought it did.

Before Ash could stop it, Ash felt the familiar feeling of numbness taking over his mouth. Mew had stepped forward to speak when Ash had failed.

" **There is something else. Misty, I am deeply in love with-"**

He still had function over his hands. And it was these that he slapped over his own traitorous mouth. Ash had gone a brilliant shade of pink. His embarrassment wasn't the sole cause for the color change, he had also tried to suffocate himself to keep from spitting out the words that Mew thought he needed help saying. Luckily, or perhaps not quite so lucky, Misty didn't seem to pay attention to Ash's words. Instead, her eyes were fixed on Ash's face; specifically on his eyes that had suddenly switched from their familiar shade of brown to a bewitching shade of blue.

She was at a loss, touching at her own face. As if by gesturing to her own eyes she could find the words for what she had just witnessed. Just as suddenly as they had changed, Ash's eyes had melted back into brown. And then his strange behavior followed as if he were fighting with himself. It was alarming in a way that Misty couldn't even begin to articulate.

Ash misunderstood her reaction completely.

"These potato chips!" Ash spat out at last, desperately snatching up the bag of chips Misty had not yet finished. "I love them! Can I please have the rest?"

Misty nodded numbly.

"All… alright then. I'll just be… going."

Ash quickly scrambled out of the wagon, not even giving his legs a chance to adjust from sitting to standing. He stumbled out into the sunshine, fighting the strong urge to vomit.

 _She knew. Mew had just blurted it out. She knew._

And Misty, she was left sitting in shock. Pikachu had observed the whole course of events at a distance. And now, as he pulled himself up to follow his master outside, he carefully watched Misty's face.

Misty had noticed him staring and quickly pulled herself together.

"Goodness, what was that about? Do you know, Pikachu?" She asked playfully scratching the pokemon under his chin.

" _Nope_ ," Pikachu replied, knowing full well that this particular human didn't understand. " _But it certainly couldn't have gone much worse._ "

* * *

That feeling she'd had, her nagging intuition that something had changed in Ash since he returned from his kidnapping: all her suspicions were suddenly and violently confirmed. And now that she had confirmation, Misty had absolutely no idea how to deal with it.

She was raging within herself, unable to sit still. While the others had struck out to make camp alongside this lonely stretch of road that Gary had settled upon, Misty had paced. She hid her anxiety under the guise of hunting for firewood. Anyone with a careful eye would have seen how often Misty stomped past a perfectly good piece of wood. She went around in circles, hardly noticing, finding it incredibly difficult to even focus on the path in front of her. Ash would have laughed at her if he had noticed how many tree branches she had walked into.

She had seen Ash's eyes change colors. That alone seemed such a small thing to be freaking out about. It wasn't just that. His posture and his voice had transformed too. He had straightened his usual casual slouch and his voice sounded as if someone had just ironed out all the wrinkles. It was as if in those few words he had become a completely different person.

And Misty had no idea how that could be possible. In a fitful web-search aided by the spotty wifi service they had out in the middle of nowhere, Misty had web MDed too many possibilities, all of them just as horrible as the first. She had heard of people having multiple personalities before. But how would that cause someone to change their eye color at will? Giovanni said that Ash had been tortured. Was it possible to be tortured into becoming two people? And yet, the eye color. Again, Misty couldn't explain away how magic seemed to be playing some weird sort of factor.

She'd seen Ash's eyes change color before when he was being hypnotized. It was a truly frightening experience, the empty shade his eyes had become. His pupils had dilated to a frightening depth and seemed to look right through Brock and herself. Ash hadn't really believed in hypnosis himself. He hadn't believed in ghosts or psychics, either. Or at least, he would always loudly proclaim that he didn't, right until they walked smack dab into one.

It was only after they discovered how easy he was to hypnotize that Ash started to come around. That and it seemed to happen to them ridiculously often. Brock had been hypnotized by a ghost pokemon to fall in love with a statue. Misty had nearly been kidnapped when she was hypnotized by a traveling sideshow. Could it be possible that this was yet another case of hypnosis?

But what pokemon could be performing the hypnosis?

Misty's mind flew to the only psychic antagonist she knew they were facing: Mewtwo. But she quickly dismissed that as being absurd. Mewtwo didn't know they were coming yet. And even if he did, he was thousands of miles away, way out of range. Even supposing he somehow simultaneously knew they were coming and were a threat, and supposing he could project his thoughts this far, what possible use could Mewtwo have for making Ash act a little out of the ordinary? Wouldn't he have made Ash violent or have simply caused the boy to fall unconscious? Or better yet, have Ash convince the rest of them to give up this journey?

Misty kicked a wayward acorn in frustration, watching it bounce away into the undergrowth. None of it made any sense. Just what in the world was going on?

The evening was growing cold. As she stood at the edge of the treeline, Misty could see how the low-hanging clouds settled on the horizon in a pinkish-blue haze. The summer had died away. Once they reached the mountain, they'd be well on their way through autumn. Misty didn't much look forward to the snow they'd inevitably encounter. This wasn't exactly the smartest time to be starting an expedition into the mountains, but they had little choice. Ash was spurred into action and they just had to hold on so they didn't get left behind.

Misty's eyes drifted back to where the others were. They were mostly arguing about the merits of setting up camp next to the road and closer to their getaway vehicle or further into the woods where they were least likely to be seen. Gary, of course, stood in the thick of the argument. Ash, however, sat away from the others. He had perched himself on a fallen log, muttering softly to the pikachu at his side.

A thought came to her. It wasn't exactly one she hadn't already considered; she'd tried to push it away because of what it implied. But now, after having witnessed a certain magic about Ash, she had a harder time disregarding it.

It was very possible that this had everything to do with Ash's duty as a Chosen One. Wasn't that usually the case whenever the strange or unexplained happened around him? Why couldn't it also be the case this time? Although admittedly, Misty had a hard time seeing what could possibly be needed from Ash in this instance. What did Ash need from Mewtwo? Or rather, what did Mewtwo need from the Chosen One?

Gary had broken away from the Team Rocket members to join Ash. Misty watched as the two greeted each other with far more warmth than she had seen between them in a while. At least since Ash had reached Elm's laboratory. They were smiling and talking, almost back to normal. Misty couldn't help but stare at Ash's face, willing for the change to happen again.

It didn't.

Eventually, Misty realized she should get back to the task she had only been pretending to do before. She abandoned the boys to their conversations and returned to her own troubled thoughts.

* * *

"That was a huge dick move!" Ash hissed, his anger making it difficult to keep his volume down. He had pulled back from the others, careful to keep from a repeat of what had occurred between him and Misty. He didn't need Mew blurting out his dark secrets to any other passerby. "How could you do that? I told you not to!"

" **I'm terribly sorry, Ash. You were exhibiting all the signs that you wanted to tell her those words. I only thought of helping you. I shouldn't have assumed."**

"You're right! You shouldn't have!"

" **In my defense—"**

"No, no defense!"

" **In my defense, I don't believe she fully comprehended what I was trying to say."**

"How could she have not understood. You said I am deeply in love—I mean, you only left out one word, Mew! She _knew_ I wasn't talking about potato chips!"

" **Are you sure? I thought that was pretty convincing."**

Ash couldn't tell if Mew was being sarcastic or not. He realized though that it hardly mattered one way or the other. The damage was done. Now he just had to figure out how to avoid both Misty and Gary for the rest of their journey, until Mewtwo could kindly put him out of his misery.

" **I am sorry, Ash. I'm just… I get so frustrated seeing you struggling with this when I know I could help you."**

Ash let out a dry laugh. "No, Mew. You can't. You absolutely can't help me with this. You need to stay out of it."

" **You simply do not understand how it feels to be sitting in the sidelines to this."** Mew continued, heedlessly, gripping Ash's own hair, a decidedly Ash-like gesture. **"I can feel it causing you pain, distraction, anger; I feel it all. I want to just stay silent but it's almost physically painful. And I just can't help but think if I just told Misty** _ **how I felt**_ **, we could just put this all behind us."**

The sudden change of pronouns wasn't lost on either occupying soul. Ash didn't even try to fight for control as Mew quickly corrected her mistake. _Slip of the tongue,_ she said breathlessly, eager to push the experience away. Except it wasn't. Ash was present for that moment just as much as Mew had been. In that split second, Ash had felt something slip. Just for a second, the two of them had briefly slid into one single being. He was both Ash and Mew for the passing of a breath, taking ownership of both Mew's frustration and his own. It felt just as uncomfortable as a swallowed hiccup; a trapped pocket in his chest, that for one brief moment, was too full.

Ash knew why Mew didn't want to talk about it. He had just been her for the briefest of moments. He could somehow understand her as perfectly as he understood himself. The experience was like a balm to his burning anger. He wasn't willing to let go of his anger completely. Ash still felt like he had been the injured party. But it was hard to stay furious at another being who had just very unexpectedly become himself. It was still possible to hate himself, of course. Just… more confusing.

Had Mew confessed out of concern for a friend she had seen struggling or was she already becoming him? And in that moment of their dual existence, had she taken the side of his thoughts that had wanted to take action?

He didn't dare dwell on speculation too long. After all, Ash wasn't sure how much his own thoughts were his own any longer. So instead, Ash dug his pokedex out of his back pocket.

On his journey, Ash had found many an evening where, when left with nothing better to do, Ash simply flipped through the entries on his pokedex. Ash wasn't a scholar by any means. He continually needed to be reminded about basic type match-ups. In his defense, who could really remember that fighting was weak to flying? That one didn't even make sense. So this habit was really the only way Ash could profess any sort of pokemon knowledge. He didn't learn through reading or studying. His grades from the mandatory years of public school certainly attest to that. He learned through action. By battling a pokemon, Ash seemed to intuitize a Pokémon's strength and weaknesses. And reviewing his Pokédex in the evening afterward, he could try to set in the knowledge he'd just acquired.

It shouldn't have surprised him. When he powered his Pokédex on, he was met with the familiar copy of his pokemon license, digitally acquired when he turned ten years old. It was stamped over in red with the words SUSPENSION: UNDER REVIEW.

Ash knew he couldn't have expected the League not to act. They simply couldn't remain neutral when a trainer had seemingly gone rogue against pokemon law enforcement, even if the league and White Ice were usually at odds. It was probably due to the League's egalitarian view of pokemon and humans, which White Ice certainly didn't share. Much as they wouldn't want to take action, it would be negligent of them to ignore the potential threat that Ash posed. His previous record would certainly work against him, too.

They wouldn't be able to expel Ash from the league without a thorough review. And for the review, they would need to apprehend him and seize his pokemon. Ash didn't intend for them to come anywhere near him. This suspension meant very little. He had already functioned well as a trainer under suspension before. Theoretically, suspended trainers weren't allowed to possess, battle or enter tournaments with pokemon. But it wasn't exactly like Ash planned to enter into any legitimate pokemon matches out here in the middle of nowhere.

Still, having the suspension tag back over his license gave him a twinge of pain. Unwanted memories of shame and guilt were tied with such an ugly boldfaced tag. He really wished he could manage to clear this up, if only for the sake of what was left of his pokemon career.

"And that's why I go with the paper license."

Ash started when a chocolate bar dropped heavily into his lap. He looked up into Gary's grinning face. "Happy birthday, buddy."

"Birthday?"

"Well, technically it was two weeks ago. Back when those Icy bastards still had you in their clutches. Still, you don't turn eighteen everyday." Gary plopped down on the log next to Ash, casually stretching out and taking up way more room than Ash would have liked. He pushed Gary's shoulder, not able to knock the interloper off his log but also not trying all that hard either. "Misty and your mom didn't want us to make a big deal about it. You know, with all that happened. Thought we should wait to celebrate once everything was back to normal. But I still figured, with how you were about birthdays, you could use some cheering up."

Ash clutched at the wrapped chocolate bar numbly. He didn't want to admit that he had completely forgotten about his own birthday. And now that he knew, Ash wasn't sure how to feel about it. He was eighteen. A couple of months ago, he would have been looking forward to this birthday. It would have officially earned him veteran status as a pokemon trainer and all the perks that came with such a title. And yet, now Ash just couldn't find it in himself to care.

Why care about pokemon trainer statuses when you literally have another ancient soul inhabiting your body and forcing you to go face down a cloned pokemon god? Becoming a veteran trainer felt about as hollow a gesture as the candy bar when you looked at it in context.

"Better eat that up quick. The others are just heating up a can of spaghetti-os for dinner. And I think Jessie has a serious sweet tooth. Saw her eying it earlier. She'll be wanting that if you don't."

"Thanks," Ash said, twirling the candy bar idly in his hands but showing no sign of unwrapping it any time soon. It wasn't that Ash was ungrateful, but he'd found it hard to feel anything but panic and anxiety lately. Ash tore his attention from the pity present to the man sitting at his side. There were many questions that Ash had been wanting to ask Gary, but either from accident or design, Ash had never gotten the chance to talk to him alone. Now was the perfect time. He had wanted to know how Gary had even been roped into this situation in the first place. How had he gotten hurt? But more pressing than them all was the status of his relationship with Misty. That was, of course, one question he couldn't ask. He wouldn't like the answer either way.

So instead, Ash asked, "Aren't you scared?"

"Scared?" Gary had been staring absentmindedly towards the campfire. Perhaps daydreaming of a better dinner than the one that awaited them. "Scared about what?"

"You ran into Mewtwo before. It was the pokemon that attacked you in Viridian back then. Back when I found you… You used to tell me not to go looking for it."

"Well, yeah. Knowing you—what with you having dreams about it—I figured you would try to go searching for the damn thing eventually. You're kinda stupid like that." He had meant the barb playfully, Ash knew that. But it still stung.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Oh well," Gary looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yeah, I guess so. A little. I'm definitely not looking forward to meeting it again. Although… I'd like to think I'm a bit stronger of a trainer now."

Ash smiled at that. Leaned back with his arms crossed, that cocky grin plastered across his face, was a young man that a younger Ash would have believed implicitly. Ash had no reason to doubt the confidence that Gary exuded on a daily basis. Endlessly irritating, but Ash had never questioned it. Until the day Ash had found the young man sprawled out on the Viridian Gym floor.

When Ash had shaken the boy awake, Gary came back to himself in a sudden violence. Grabbing onto Ash's tee, he'd pulled the smaller boy in. His grip was so hard and tight that it hurt. Gary's face and lips were completely bloodless as he trembled and shook his way through his harrowing encounter with the world's only evil pokemon. Ash would never forget that. Gary, at his lowest moment: a scene he had always hoped to relish in. But no, that memory chilled his blood.

With Mew's memories combined with his faulty own, Ash knew that there would be no taking Mewtwo on. They'd stand no better a chance than Gary had the first time he had tried. If they were going to get through to Mewtwo at all, it would have to be through words. That certainly wasn't Ash or Gary's strong suit.

"Besides," Gary continued, startling Ash out of his reverie. "We have a trump card."

Taking a moment to bask in Ash's confused stare, Gary then procured a familiar purple-capped pokeball from his jacket pocket. With one tap, he had enlarged it from its original marble size. Ash stared into his own reflection on its polished surface, a sudden thrill making his stomach take a frightened flip. Mew's influence, undoubtedly. After all, it was the very pokeball that had put Mew into the state she was in now.

"I thought I handed this over to Professor Oak," Ash said, gingerly taking it out of Gary's hands. It felt as loaded as a grenade, as though it could go off at any moment. With as little as Ash knew about it, it was probably best to air on the side of caution.

"You did. Gramps did some tests. This little guy," Gary tapped on the ball. "Probably the most powerful pokeball in the world."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. The magnets in this thing, Gramps said he hadn't seen anything like it. He thinks it could catch anything. One shot. Boom. Pokemon captured."

Gary grinned at him but Ash couldn't return the smile. His face felt frozen. He could barely stand touching the ball. How could such an object feel so completely wrong?

"Hey, I know that look." Gary knocked Ash lightly on the shoulder. "Come on. What's wrong? You aren't seriously going to feel guilty about it? You're not that much of a bleeding heart, are you?"

Ash didn't answer. Gary pressed on, giving his friend a small shake as if it might shake the stoicism from his face. "Ash, it's Mewtwo. The world's most evil pokemon. There's no telling if even normal pokeballs would work on such a powerful psychic pokemon. This is our only recourse." He grabbed onto the pokeball, squeezing Ash's hands underneath his own until it hurt. Ash winced but he didn't pull away. "This is our best chance."

"It feels… cruel. Not giving it a chance to fight back."

"If we give Mewtwo a chance to fight back, it'll kill us. You'll see, Ash." He gave Ash's hands around the pokeball one last shake. "You'll see that I'm right."

And with that, Gary left Ash alone. Ash didn't watch him leave, focused too hard on the powerful pokeball laid to his disposal. It gleamed darkly in the campfire light, a seductive glow. Ash clicked the button to minimize and then stuff the pokeball into his back pocket. He could only hope that when the time came, he would just forget to use it.

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Special thanks to my wonderful beta reader **HarunaRei**. She was able to help me with this chapter so it's thanks to her that you all are getting this chapter earlier than I said you would.

I'm really excited to release the both this and the following chapter for you guys. I think they are some of the more fun and action-packed ones I've been able to write for a while.

Also, we are coming up on Mewtwo's entrance. I've been waiting years to write it. I hope you all will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed daydreaming about it. It's been the work of years after all.

Thank you to all my reviewers, Ronnie R15, YumeTakato, Ashora and others who left reviews anonymously. I really appreciate each and every one of you. You are my encouragement to keep writing even after all this time.

You all can expect the next chapter either in late February or early March. It is already written and is just waiting to be edited. So you won't have to wait long, I promise!

Next time, strange happenings start up around our intrepid heroes. Can they make it through or will their journey dead end here? Stay tuned!


	5. Exposed

**Last Time On Hia:  
** Snooping, more love advice, an interrupted confession, blue eyes, 18th birthdays and a master ball.  
Quote: "If we give Mewtwo a chance to fight back, it'll kill us. You'll see, Ash. You'll see that I'm right."

* * *

 **Chapter Five:** Exposed

I'm sorry I ruined your birthday you had turned 18  
And the sunshine hit me and I was behaving strangely  
All the walls were melting and there were mermaids everywhere  
Hearts flew from my hands and I could see people's feelings  
-Florence + the Machine

 **E** veryone slept uncomfortably that night. An unexpected chill had snuck its way in during the early hours making their open-air camping suddenly a terrible idea. Although the group had packed sleeping bags, only Ash had a well-insulated bag. The rest were planning to resort to padding and unfortunately hadn't anticipated the dip in temperature.

This inevitably led to a freezingly cold morning full of Jessie's loud complaints directed towards anyone who dared to get too close. They had all huddled around the ashes of the campfire, trying to salvage a sort of breakfast from what was left of dinner. Nothing could be wasted and Gary was hesitant to open anything new when they still had some of the soggy pasta from last night. Ash gratefully sunk his teeth into the chocolate bar, more than happy to leave everyone else to swallow the cold noodles from last night.

Once they had all reluctantly filed back into the wagon, they set off. They traveled with far more promptness than the day before. Planning to make up time, Gary had said. This led to a more jarring and bumpy ride in the back. By some miracle, Ash had managed to nod off.

His easy way into sleep may have been due to Misty's blatantly obvious avoidance. The whole evening, Misty had sat far away from wherever Ash dared to be. And yet again, in the morning, she avoided eye contact and walked away before Ash could get up the nerve to wish her good morning. Ash had thought to say something to her once they had climbed into the wagon, but Misty had moved. She set herself up amidst the spot that Team Rocket had claimed the day before, forcing the trio to spread out and place themselves between her and Ash. This put Ash into a more sour mood than he would have been in normally. He cursed Mew and practically threw himself into a frustrated and fitful sleep.

The hours passed easier in unconsciousness. Ash had been lucky enough to escape his dreams. When he woke, he woke to the empty feeling of the truck motor no longer rumbling underneath him. He also heard a strange sound. A soft trilling sort of chant echoing outside the wagon's canvas.

Not yet willing to wake completely, Ash frowned and shuffled with his eyes closed towards the wall where the sound was more clear.

 _Meeeeeeeewmewmewmeeeewmew. Mewmeeewmew. Mew. Mew._

The wordless string of sound slowly coalesced into a word. A single word stretched out to its full capacity in a mind-numbing chant. The sound gave Ash a sudden rush of shivery goosebumps. He was wide awake now, staring dumbly at the side of the wagon. When he sat up, he half expected the others to be as awake and frightened as he was. But when he turned, the others surprised him.

They were all completely indifferent. Jessie, who was currently seated closest to him, was absentmindedly picking at her nails, peeling off the skin of nail paint. She didn't even bother to look up when he sent a wild glance her way.

"Calm down, twerp. Just stopping for gas."

"What's that sound?"

"What's what sound?" She had, at last, stopped picking.

"That sound!" He swung his arm wide, brushing against the canvas. Ash could sense the other's eyes on him now. He ignored their curious looks, focusing entirely on Jessie. She had to hear it. Ash refused to believe he was the only one.

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Ash, what's wrong?" Misty finally decided to talk to him; right when he was at a confusing mix of his most angry and most frightened. She crawled over to their side, eyes wide with concern. Her cold shoulder treatment over the last few hours made it fairly difficult for Ash to want to talk to her at all, even now. However, fear forced him to set aside his own pride.

"I want to know what sound that is!"

"Ash, what sound are you talking about?"

"How can none of you hear it?"

"Can you describe it? What does it sound like?"

Ash wasn't sure how that could possibly help. If they couldn't hear the phantom sound, describing it would only frighten them as much as it frightened him. He shook his head and Misty was forced to try to guess from the sounds that she could actually hear.

"Is it the cars going by? The people talking outside?"

"There are people? What are they saying?"

"Um… I don't know," Misty leaned back, taking a moment to listen. "It's not that clear. I can't hear any specific words but it sounds like normal conversation. Did you hear them say something? Did something they said upset you?"

Ash shook his head again. That couldn't be it. He wasn't zeroing in on a specific conversation and he certainly didn't think his hearing had reached a supersonic level. But still, it was there, ever present and ever needling. It almost seemed singsongy, how the voices continued to mockingly chant the word.

 _Mewmewmew. Mewmew. Mew._

Ash covered his ears and tried to concentrate- pushing the sound away. He wanted to reach the one consciousness that might have been able to tell what was happening. She had fallen away deep inside and Ash couldn't seem to reach her to pull her back out. He kept sweeping out his thoughts but coming up empty.

Something then fell heavily against the canvas tarp turning all the eyes upward. Light footsteps padded their way across the tarp. Ash could just make out the shadow of what seemed to be a pokemon.

 _It's Mew. It's Mew. Mew mew. It's Mew. Help Mew. Help help. Mewmewmew._

Ash shivered, shrinking back down as low as he could get. Misty noticed his reaction.

"Ash? Is that it? Is that the sound?"

"What is it?"

"It's a pidgey." Ash blinked and looked up at her. Misty smiled and kindly touched his arm. "It's just a pidgey, Ash. Nothing to be frightened of."

"I- I don't understand."

" _You can understand Pokemon now, Pikapi,"_ Pikachu said softly from his other side. Ash whirled about, suddenly taking notice of his pokemon. Pikachu had just woken, probably from all the noise Ash had been making. He stretched out from his little bed of hay and gave a long yawn before continuing. _"You're hearing the pidgey's call."_

"What? Why are they-" Ash stopped himself short, mindful of the other eyes still on him. Thankfully Pikachu spared him from having to finish his sentence.

Pikachu's ears twitched. _"I'm… I'm not sure. It's odd."_

"Do pidgey usually-"

" _Not that I know of."_

Ash couldn't calm the others back down after his outburst. He now knew the source of the sound but could do little to stop it from upsetting him. Nor could he fully understand why it was happening. Ash had to work extra hard to reassure Misty that he was fine. She could tell better than anyone that he still wasn't.

Eventually, when he could hardly stand it anymore, both the chanting in his ears and the other's still persistent concern, Ash did something he knew he shouldn't have.

Ash ripped back the canvas ties and jumped out of the wagon. He didn't bother to look either way before leaping out boldly into the daylight. He spotted Gary a little ways off, talking to a stranger by one of the gas pumps. He was given a start by Ash's sudden appearance, cutting off the conversation and quickly heading Ash's way. Ash ignored him, decidedly heading off in the opposite direction.

The gas station was small and backed up to a thick woods still full of autumn splendor. Ash marched straight into it, tossing up muddy leaves as he stumbled across the lawn.

Misty unintentionally gave Ash more time and distance. She had jumped out after him, catching up to Gary as he passed. While she relayed to him the situation in short breathless sentences, Ash gained the distance he needed.

"Mew!" Ash hissed out into the trees, digging down deep inside to pry her free. "Mew, talk to me. I need you!"

At long last, Ash finally felt something. The familiar warmth rose in his chest, settling comfortably into the sidelines of his conscious thought. She didn't need to say anything. Ash could feel that she was now awake.

"Pokemon are calling you. They keep calling your name. Why are they calling for you, Mew? Why are they calling for you- over and over and over again? God, I can hear them even over here. It's driving me crazy, Mew. Make it stop!"

Mew lifted herself up out of her quiet co-seat with all the grace and speed of an eighty-year-old grandmother. The sudden and heavy exhaustion that sank into his body as she took over brought with it a surge of guilt from Ash's own consciousness. She was not well and she continued to not be well.

" **The pidgey? Yes, I hear them too."**

"Please, Mew. Why are they calling for you?"

" **They sense me,"** Mew sighed. **"They are crying out. Mis- ...My mother's reach is felt long and wide, pulling pokemon into a conflict they naturally want no part of. They call out to me for guidance… The pidgey are but babies. Did their simple cries frighten you, Ash? I'm sorry. I would try to soothe them but we no longer speak their language."**

"You can't speak to them?"

" **No. Not any longer."** Ash could hear both the deep weariness and sorrow in her words. She was losing more and more of herself to Ash. He could feel her slipping away like grains of sand between his fingers.

It didn't take long for the others to catch up. Ash could hear their footsteps crunching in the leaves as they ran up behind him. When Ash turned to meet them, he was surprised to only find Misty there. The look of concern on her face was starting to seem permanently etched there, at least whenever she was with Ash.

"Hey, are you alright? You… you kinda just ran off on us."

"Yeah. Sorry." Ash glanced back towards the truck. He could just spy Gary leaning against the bumper, watching them. Misty must have told him to hang back. Ash didn't know how to feel about that. "Just needed to get some air."

"What happened?"

Ash frowned. He still hadn't come up with any sort of explanation for them. And unfortunately, he couldn't just keep running away to avoid answering. He settled on the semi-truth. "It was a waking nightmare. I must have been… having a hallucination, the hearing kind of hallucination or something. It… frightened me. I'm sorry if I frightened you all."

"You did," Misty admitted softly. She touched his arm, ever so gingerly. Ash had been expecting the gesture and didn't flinch for once. "You've been through a lot. We understand. We're all here for you."

Ash couldn't keep the wry smile from his face. "And that's part of the problem." He sighed as he pulled away from her, pushing the hair back from his face with one hand; an exasperated gesture. "You guys are all being way too nice to me. You don't need to do that. I won't break if you just… treat me like normal."

Misty looked a bit taken aback. She bit her lip and turned to stare hard at a nearby tree stump. Ash would have had to have been blind to miss the obvious hurt that flashed in her eyes. She didn't let the silence hang between them long. "Alright. Like normal?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay," She smiled. "We'll try. If that's what you need, Ash."

"It's what I want."

"Alright then."

Misty had turned back; possibly intending to lead their way back to the truck. But she was startled by a sudden rush of feathers. She stumbled back into Ash just as a small pidgey alighted on the ground of them.

 _"Mew? Mew?"_ The bird said cocking its head up at them.

Misty laughed as she clutched at her chest. "Geez, that scared me. Thought it was a bug."

"No. Just one creepy little bird."

It flapped its wings and spat out another string of "mew, mew" before a second alighted a few feet away from the first. And then a third and a fourth, until before they knew it, the two humans were encircled by a small army of pidgey. Misty couldn't hear their cries but even she started to notice something off about the way they were chirping. It had become almost mechanical- the tiny birds gnashing their beaks up at the two of them.

Ash, who was privy to the pidgey's language, had gone from annoyance to abject horror in just a few strings of chirps. The eyes staring up at them were milky and glazed over, blinking far too rapidly. They had all stopped chirping for Mew and were now very clearly hissing in a more sinister way. _"Not Mew. It's not-Mew. Get rid of the not-Mew."_

Ash didn't need Mew's warning. He had already reached forward to grab Misty's arm when Mew's consciousness stole control of his lips. **"I was wrong. This isn't normal."**

"You don't say!" Ash responded, not even thinking how Misty might perceive him answering himself. They had more pressing concerns at the moment.  
 **  
"Run! Run, Ash!"**

He stumbled backward, nearly taking Misty down with him. The leaves under their feet were damp and sleek and didn't make for the best traction underfoot. Ash caught the barest glimpse of Gary running towards them, shouting orders while ripping a pokeball from his belt. Ash thought he might have seen a flash of yellow beside Gary's feet. Pikachu was coming too. But they'd be too late.

Misty had tried to be brave. She had unsheathed her own pokeball for the incoming fight. But Ash knew better than to fight. They'd be overwhelmed long before they could get a proper pokemon battle going. And then those pidgey would soon pick their Pokémon's bones clean along with the two humans they had decided to hate. Ash had grabbed her pokeball throwing arm and yanked her after him. She protested but only weakly. Her false bravado was very easy to quell.

The two dashed through the woods, only just dodging out of the way of trees that appeared suddenly in their path. It was lucky that the woods were thicker here as the swarm of birds couldn't get high enough to gain on them. Ash weaved them around various trees, hoping the zig and zagging pattern would be hard for the pidgey to follow. It worked, sort of. Their real problem was that there were just too many of the damn pokemon.

A sharp stitch was starting to form in Ash's chest. It was hard to gulp down the cold air. It wasn't long before both humans were sniffling from steaming noses and gasping from their mouths. The sudden increase in activity may have raised their body temperature but it didn't make the exercise any easier on them.

As they were running, it did occur to Ash what was happening. These pidgey, they were clearly being controlled. And he had a suspicion of who was doing it. Or rather, Mew did. His and her thoughts became one while Ash was theorizing, coming to one alarming conclusion. All the pokemon attacks that had been happening; Mew had warned that her mother was the cause. Now Ash could clearly see that her mother was far more involved than he had ever supposed.

These were baby pidgey, for heaven's sake. Not the more aggressive and territorial spearow. Their instincts would urge them to fly from danger not enter into attack formation and swan dive after humans. Just what kind of pokemon could control a whole swarm of pokemon into acting so far outside their own characters?

 _A powerful one_ , Mew's own thoughts answered. _More powerful than you could ever imagine.  
_  
Ash had been taking the lead, only dropping off when he suspected the pokemon were coming too close. He yanked off his jacket to cover the more vulnerable spots of his head and neck. Ash shielded Misty with his body as best as he could. If Misty had a better presence of mind, she might have tried to prevent him from taking all the hits. But being wildly frightened, she was only just able to keep running forward. Ash would have been the same, (this was way outside his pokemon training experience), if not for the comforting feeling of Mew curled up inside his chest. He had her and Ash knew, she wouldn't stand down this time. No matter the cost, Mew was going to help keep them both alive.

They couldn't keep this up forever. Ash knew it wouldn't be long before they were forced to turn and fight. And that time came far sooner than even Ash expected. A pidgey had somehow broken off from the mass and headed them off- bulleting through the trees, narrowly missing Misty and crushing itself on the ground just feet away. The damage of its sacrifice had been done though. It had clawed at Misty in passing, slicing at the girl's arm. Misty screamed, grabbed at her bleeding arm and stumbled, and Ash crashed straight into her.

They fell hard onto the leafy earth. Ash didn't even have time to properly assess the situation; of how Misty was beneath him. He saw the blood squeezing out between her fingers. Noticed how pale her skin was neath the messy sweaty strands of blond hair that stuck to her face. His eyes met her own and for two breaths he held her gaze. Two short breaths. That's all the time he allowed himself.

Then, not even entirely sure if it would work, Ash threw himself over her. He hugged Misty tight to his chest, hoping to shield her body as best he could in case the worst should happen.

"Mew! Do it now!" Ash shouted.

Mew answered immediately. He felt the warmth blossom in his chest and then spread out through the rest of his body. He felt the heat everywhere, on his legs, the back of his arms, his cheeks and even his eyes. Ash squeezed his eyes shut, willing the unpleasantness to pass. His body shook as something lifted out of himself. He felt it peel away but only Misty watched the glow that had encased them both. Misty was sole witness to the solid pink bubble that had formed.

The pidgey had dived but the translucent barrier held strong. They smashed themselves into it, many dying upon impact. But no matter how many or how forceful their attack, Ash's psychic barrier withstood the assault. Only when the last of the pidgey had crumbled to the ground did the barrier splinter and break apart at last. With the barrier down, Ash had sagged against her. Misty had thought he had felt the danger pass. It was only when she had pushed at his shoulder that his dead weight told her he had fallen unconscious.

Somehow, Misty wiggled her way out from underneath him. It was considerably more difficult trying to revive the unconscious teenager. Keeping the mass pidgey horde from killing them had obviously left him spent. She lightly slapped his cheeks and even summoned her pokemon for a splash of water. Ash refused to wake.

Misty couldn't leave him. She knew the others surely had to be looking for them. But stretching in both directions, Misty could only see the woods they had been running through. She had no idea which way they had come from. And she knew better than to run around aimlessly, especially when she might risk losing sight of Ash in the process.

Not to mention that Misty had no way of knowing how many other crazed mobs of pokemon were out here in the forest with them.

She attended to her injured arm, returned her pokemon and then came back to Ash.

"Come on, Ash," Misty tried again, huffing as she hefted the young man upright against a nearby overturned log. "Come on, wake up. We need to find the others."

She had been just about to resort to calling out Togetic to send for help when someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. Misty was given a start, relieved at a sign that the young man was finally waking up. But her happiness quickly melted away when Ash's eyes fluttered open and a pair of pale blue eyes met her own.

"You're not Ash," Misty hissed, prying her hand free from his weaker grip.

" **You're right. I'm not."** The cadence was all wrong coming from his lips. His voice was softer, more feminine. Misty likened it to wet clay, with all the creases smoothed out. She hated it.

Misty ripped golduck's pokeball from her belt. She didn't unleash it, just held it out threateningly; making sure this thing could see it through Ash's stolen eyes. "Who are you?"

" **It's not for me to say."**

"Mew? Ash called you Mew."

Ash, or rather the-thing-that-was-in-no-way Ash, sighed. It made the voice it had stolen sound so tired. Misty might have felt sorry for it if she wasn't fully conscious of the fact that the parasitic entity was currently using her best friend as a human host. **"In a manner of speaking. Yes. I was Mew."**

"You aren't anymore?"

" **I am rapidly starting to feel quite unlike myself."**

Misty didn't share in the creature's humor. She didn't like the way it was twisting Ash's face into smiles that it had no right to.

"Stop that."

" **Sorry."** Misty had thought she would have had to explain her discomfort but Mew seemed to intuitively sense the cause. It dropped the stolen smile from Ash's face.

"Look… Just tell me. Why are you in Ash's body? What did you do to Ash?"

Curiously, Mew looked appropriately alarmed at the accusation. But yet, it did not immediately leap to its own defense. Instead, it went straight to reassuring her of Ash's safety.

" **Ash is well,"** Mew said. **"He is only unconscious because the strain on his body was great. His form was not meant to host the power that is now at his disposal. He will wake in a few hours time… with a headache, I suspect. But none the worse for wear."**

"Why are you here?"

" **Because the power was mine. And Ash forced me to use it. It has consequently brought me to the forefront of his consciousness."** Mew didn't give Misty long to process that bit of information before continuing, **"I had every intention of continuing to play dead but I can tell you need help getting Ash's body back to your friends. His body would be too heavy a burden on you alone."**

Misty didn't know how to feel about the creature's seemingly altruistic intentions. She had heard of Mews before. Some wisp of memory seemed to come to mind, something about only appearing to the pure-hearted, possibly granting wishes. She had never heard anything about Mew's being body snatchers. Misty kept her pokeball tight at hand even as she helped the creature to Ash's feet.

" **Thank you."**

"I still don't trust you."

" **That's fine. Let my actions speak for me."**

They had only walked a few paces when Mew had stopped short. It stared down at the mass of avian corpses that had formed a sad ring around where they had fallen. Misty could not stare down at the disjointed and broken bodies without choking on her own stomach fluids. So she watched Mew instead, unnerved by the serenity it had commanded of Ash's own form. His face was smooth but his eyes shone. It didn't brush away the tears. That was too human a gesture. Tears just fell in the pokemon world; like rain.

" **I regret that it came to this. Their minds were not their own."**

"What was wrong with them?"

Mew shot Misty a look, sizing her up. Possibly trying to decide how much was too much to tell. It must have seen something there to reassure itself because it continued, **"They were being possessed by a powerful pokemon. One that Ash and I intend to stop."**

"Mewtwo," Misty nodded in sudden understanding. She was surprised when Mew vigorously shook Ash's head.

" **No. Not Mewtwo."**

"Who then?"

Mew frowned. She carefully stepped around the pokemon corpses, only sparing one last respectful wayward glance before saying, **"I cannot say. To speak her name would be to summon her. We've already had enough of her today and I'm not sure how well we'd fair in a second round."**

They were silent for a long moment. Not out of any lack of anything to say. Misty had questions practically burning on her tongue. But Mew's stolen countenance was so solemn it demanded a respectful silence that Misty couldn't help but reluctantly give. She had never seen Ash looking so serious and serene in grief. Even if she hadn't seen everything she had already seen, this expression on Ash's face would have convinced her that he was hosting something alien inside.

" **This is going to seem… absurdly** _ **human**_ **of me,"** Mew said, at last, tugging free a pokeball awkwardly from Ash's belt. **"But I don't want to leave them to be eaten by predators."**

Misty said nothing. But she watched closely as Mew attempted to summon a pokemon. It must have been strange for it, having never been in this human role before. It fumbled with the ball and instead of the strong toss that Ash would have done, it let the ball just fall from Ash's hand.

It was a good thing that Misty had quick reflexes. She was able to grab Ash's sweatshirt and pull him out of the way of the red beam. Mew had almost materialized a giant dragon right on top of Ash.

"Watch it!" Misty hissed.

" **Ah. My mistake."**

 _If you get Ash killed, I swear…_ She didn't say it out loud, much as she wanted to. Misty just huffed and quickly stepped back away from him. The sentiment probably went without saying.

Charizard exploded from the pokeball with an ear-splitting roar. Just as intimidating as ever. Mew was evidently not as comfortable around Ash's pokemon as Ash was. It fell back alongside Misty, clearly not expecting Charizard's massive size. And Charizard only had to take one sidelong look into his master's eyes to know that something was off.

" _You are not the little one,"_ Charizard said silently.

Mew made Ash's head nod mutely in response.

" _Who are you?"_

" **A friend."**

" _That remains to be seen."_

"I just realized," Misty piped up, interrupting the tense conversation carrying on without her. "You're the reason Ash can understand Pikachu- the reason he can understand all pokemon now... Aren't you?"

Mew sighed but couldn't help the small smile that slipped across Ash's lips. **"Yes. Sharing my consciousness with him awakened that ability. Although, he'll have a much easier time conversing with pokemon accustomed to human speech as he does not have the ability to speak back in anything other than English."**

"Shouldn't he be able to? I mean… if you were able to."

" **Perhaps he should. But my presence only influences him so much. He has more power in our symbiotic relationship."**

Misty cracked a smile that Mew couldn't help noticing. **"What?"**

"You just said symbiotic. With Ash's mouth," She snorted back a laugh. "How the hell haven't we all found you out yet?"

" **I try to let Ash do all the talking."**

Charizard listened far more patiently than most would have given a giant fire breathing dragon credit for. He observed everything with careful eyes, assessing and evaluating the situation. It became a necessary habit as one of Ash's main "last resort" pokemon. He was well versed in absorbing what was happening around him and then responding accordingly.

In this case, the human conversation was more than enough for Charizard to piece together a semi-cohesive understanding of what had happened. He didn't need to know the why or how, simply the what and the what now. Ash was playing host to something, that much Charizard could surmise. Alarmingly there were a large number of pidgey corpses ringed around them. And Misty, though obviously agitated, was not displaying any visual signs of distress or hostility towards what had changed Ash.

In mere seconds, Charizard had more than enough information to satisfy himself. He noisily flapped his wings, tossing the air and kicking up leaves just to draw the humans' attention back towards himself.

" _What did you want?"_ Charizard growled at the Ash imposter. _"Why summon me?"_

Ash, or the thing wearing Ash, looked uncharacteristically sheepish. He tried to look up at Charizard but it was as if he didn't know where to look. He shied away from eyes and seemed to instinctively know that would be a faux pas to focus his gaze on the dragon's stomach, even though it was at a more comfortable eye level. Instead, he settled Ash's gaze on somewhere up Charizard's slender neck. It would have to do.

" **I wish your help in cremating the remains of these poor children,"** Ash gestured towards the crumpled bodies. The anxiety tight in his stolen body clearly spoke that he expected some sort of protest on Charizard's end. He didn't know the dragon very well and his assumption rubbed Charizard the wrong way. He wasn't just evolved yesterday. He'd follow a command from his master, no matter who was behind the pilot seat.

It made things simpler that way.

Charizard immediately stepped forward, scattering the humans like scuttering insects. Neither had expected his ready compliance. Misty had immediately moved forward, trying to attempt some last minute fire control. She shuffled about in the leaves, making sure the fire wouldn't spread. Ash helped her, dumping leaves and kindling over the bodies to make a sort of pyre. Charizard humored the humans by scratching about in the dirt himself. He knew his own flame though. He could control himself.

Once they had decided they were ready, whatever was controlling Ash issued the command. He did it well enough, though lacking all the gravity and confidence of a seasoned trainer. Charizard felt oddly nostalgic. It was as if he were being bossed around by a clumsy ten-year-old trainer again.

The bodies went up easily, tossing up more smoke than flames. Charizard was thorough, making sure to blast each makeshift pyre with the right amount of fire. He stepped back pretty satisfied with his work. The humans similarly marveled at the arc of flames. They were hypnotized by it. Not-Ash only tore his gaze away to attempt to return Charizard to his pokeball.

But before he could issue the command, Charizard made sure to growl out, _"Don't make a habit of this, Blue."_

" **Understood,"** Not-Ash nodded.

Charizard disappeared in a flash of red light pulling Misty's attention away from piling smoke. She hoped that maybe the little funeral pyre would serve the double purpose of not only sending the pokemon off but also alerting the others to where they were. Misty wondered if that had been Mew's plan as well. But seeing how it fumbled to fasten Charizard's pokeball back to Ash's belt, she was starting to doubt it.

"You're hopeless," Misty sighed, finally stepping forward to snap the pokeball back into place herself. Mew looked up with its stolen face and smiled at her. Misty still couldn't find it in herself to forgive it just yet. As soon as the pokeball was secure, Misty backed away.

"Let's get going. At this rate, we'll be losing daylight."

She had meant to start marching off in any direction. She hadn't really known where they were going, hoping that Mew would course correct them along the way. But the pokemon surprised her yet again.

With reflexes that Misty wasn't entirely sure were all Ash's own, Mew caught Misty's wrist. She cringed, the sudden brush of skin and clothing bringing pain to her hastily bandaged arm. Misty knew Mew saw that and hated that it noticed.

" **I can fix that,"** Mew said softly, not looking Misty in the eye. Somehow it still seemed to know Misty's feelings and was doing everything in its power to project inoffensiveness. Its stance, the lack of eye contact, its level and soft control over Ash's voice was intentionally meant; screaming _I am not a threat._ Well, Misty wasn't too sure. Mew was doing too good of a job trying to convince her otherwise.

"I'm not sure I trust you."

" **Do you trust Ash?"**

"Yes." Misty could have cursed herself for how quickly she had responded. She really didn't need this creature to understand her relationship with Ash better than she did herself.

" **I'm not sure this will reassure you,"** Mew finally met Misty's eyes. **"Ash and I are slowly becoming one person. I will not be able to hurt someone he cares for so deeply."**

 _Cares for… deeply?_ Misty's cheeks instantly colored. But she refused to let the interloping creature distract her from the task at hand. She pulled herself from Ash's grip. "You're right... It doesn't reassure me."

" **It would take but a moment."**

"Fine," Misty huffed, unable to stand the look Mew was giving her with Ash's face. "But if I start spouting fur, I'm punching you in the face."

Mew wisely said nothing. With ginger hands, it took up Misty's arm once again and slowly pulled back her sleeve. Misty winced. Her dressing was shoddy; the bandages she had used already peeling away from the open wound. She was never that good at first aid, despite all the practice that Ash had given her over the years. It was something about bandages; wrapping them securely was never one of her strengths.

Mew laid Ash's hands over the wound and closed his eyes. The pressure brought a little pain and then a sudden surge of warmth. Misty watched in wonder as a soft pink light peeked out from between Ash's fingers as if he had caught a fairy and held it flush against her skin. After a brief moment, Mew pulled back Ash's hands. Misty eagerly unraveled the bandages from her arm revealing the now unbroken skin. Nothing, not even a pink irritation from where the gash used to be. It was completely healed.

"How did you do that?" Misty asked.

Mew shrugged. **"It's an ability all Mew's possess."**

"I know that. But how did you manage to make Ash do that? He's not a pokemon."

Mew frowned. It suddenly seemed extremely interested in the path forward. It began talking rather earnestly about the moss on trees to reference their direction. Misty didn't interrupt, simply taking note on what made the little pokemon nervous.

Once Mew decided upon a direction, they set off in an uncomfortable silence. Mew stayed too close at Misty's side, heedless of any human social protocol. Its discomfort in Ash's body was evident. It took strides too long and kept stumbling over Ash's own feet. Perhaps that is why it stayed so close to Misty's side, close enough to brush her arm. Close enough to hold hands like they used to.

An unwanted wash of nostalgia fell over her. Whenever they were lost as kids, whenever she was nervous or scared, whenever it was too dark to see their path or the fog had set in unexpectedly; Ash would grab up her hand in his own. He did it emotionlessly, without question. There was no love in the action. It was a duty. She was a girl, a friend. And Ash felt called upon to relay comfort when frightening things happened. Misty always wished it had meant something more.

Perhaps one day it did. On the day he stopped.

She longed for that familiar touch from Ash now. Her hands and fingers burned for it. She was terrified out of her mind; for Ash… because of Ash. The fear was a painful sharp thing, sticking to her lungs, heavy and horrible. It was just cruel that this happened to be the one time, the one time she was at her most scared, that Ash couldn't help her. Lost behind his own eyes, there was no way he could see her shoulders shake. And if Mew noticed, it did nothing to act upon it.

Rain started pittering in from the treetops. Misty felt a drop or two on her head.

 _Perfect, just what we needed,_ Misty thought grumpily. That was when Misty noticed that Mew had stopped following.

It had stopped and turned Ash's head up to the sky, catching the raindrops on his face. For a moment, Misty just stared. Mew was a perplexing creature but surely even it had witnessed rain before. It really wasn't that novel a phenomenon, especially in the natural pokemon world.

Ash's eyes were closed. But they had begun to flutter. He swayed unsteadily on the spot. It was only then that Misty realized what was actually going on. She rushed forward, only just catching Ash before he collapsed heavily into her arms.

Mew wasn't stopping to appreciate the rain. Ash was waking up.

He wasn't ten years old anymore. His dead weight against her toppled them both to the forest floor. She had managed to lessen his fall, hugging his sagging upper body to her chest as their legs both buckled underneath them.

When Ash's eyes finally opened, they were their familiar comforting brown. Misty blinked back the burning in her eyes. This was no time to fall apart, even if it was because she was just so relieved. It wasn't until this moment that Misty realized she had a very real and tangible fear that Ash might not ever return to himself.

"M-mist?" Ash said groggily, reaching up to brace his fevered forehead. "What happened? Where are we?"

"We're in the woods. You saved us from those pidgey and then-" Misty bit her tongue. "And then… and then…" Staring into his face, Misty couldn't bring herself to say it. There was something oddly exposing about this other side of Ash. He had kept it from them. And she had a feeling that could he have prevented it, he would have continued to keep it from them.

" _You guys are all being way too nice to me. You don't need to do that. I won't break if you just… treat me like normal."  
_

Normal, was it? Yes, well, playing host to Mew was probably as far from normal as you could possibly get. Who was she to steal his normalcy from him?

"And then you passed out."

Ash's eyes were regaining their clarity, their life. The realization of what had to have transpired, what Misty must have witnessed, dawned on him. He looked considerably pale as he shook himself free from her arms.

"...And how did I save us?"

Misty avoided his probing stare. "Oh, I don't know. I think I blacked out. B-but when I woke up, the pidgey were gone. You must have used Charizard, right?"

Ash cracked a smile. "Against pidgey?"

"It was _a lot_ of pidgey."

He might have suspected something. And maybe he could have weaseled the truth out of her if they had more time alone. Misty wasn't doing that good a job of keeping her composure. She couldn't bear to look him in the eyes; so certain he could read the truth there. But maybe it wasn't just that. Her lie was pretty flimsy. Ash probably remembered enough to know he had unleashed his powers in front of her. Ash was searching for her gaze. He had just about caught her eye… but then their rescue party interrupted.

Pikachu was the first through the trees, leaping gratefully into Ash's waiting arms. Gary and Giovanni followed, too breathless for many words. They had seen the smoke and come running. Thankfully the route they had taken had put both Misty and Ash right into their path. Misty supposed she had Mew to thank for that; not that she could even thank it anymore.

While Gary chastised Ash for leaving the wagon, the rest of the group fell in easy step behind them. Misty chimed in with a word or two when she was called upon for one. But beyond some hurried explanations for what happened to them and how they had escaped the pidgey, Misty had mostly managed to keep to herself. She fell into pace behind everyone else. Only Giovanni walked nearby, occasionally glancing back her way. He had a curious look in his eyes as if he suspected more had happened than she was letting on. Misty quickly dismissed the thought. There was no way Giovanni even remotely suspected what she had witnessed.

And what exactly was it that she witnessed? Misty wasn't even sure she could qualify it herself.

Ash had always had a way of attracting the strange and unnatural to him. This went a bit beyond the pale.

Another chosen one duty, Misty supposed. Host an unbelievably powerful pokemon in your body… but to what end? How did Mewtwo tie in?

There was only one person who could possibly supply those answers. And Misty suspected it wasn't Ash.

Ash felt Misty's gaze on the back of his head. But when he turned around to look at her, she had looked away.

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

And that's the last of my pre-written work guys. We will be returning to a normal updating schedule now, unfortunately. Expect the next chapter after Ashes' next update, probably sometime around March/April.

Thanks to those of you who have reviewed: AshKetchumForever, YumeTakato, Ashora, canoerider and, of course, the guests who often leave a review. I appreciate each and every comment you guys leave. It means a lot to me that people are as interested in this story as I am.

Next time, Ash and co finish the last leg of their journey to the mountains.


	6. Claim Your Weapon

**Last Time On Hia:  
** Chants, possessed pidgeys, exposed secrets, cremation, and a welcome reunion.  
Quote: "You just said symbiotic. With Ash's mouth… How the hell haven't we all found you out yet?"

* * *

 **Chapter Six:** Claim Your Weapon

I'll take my bow  
I won't make a sound  
I whisper truce  
as the ashes hit the ground  
-Boy Epic

 **D** elia liked to think she could see the good in everyone. And that's probably what got her into this mess in the first place. She was _too_ nice. Just because Johnny cared about his own pokemon didn't erase his disgusting views of them as pieces of property. It didn't change that he was due to grow up into a man who'd follow his grandmother's despicable footsteps. He would be handed the keys to a powerful organization that had nothing but darkness in its heart.

He was marrying into that darkness. That seeping dripping hate-filled mentality would inevitably swallow him. He couldn't just sit in its shallows and come away clean. They thought of pokemon as things to waste and consume. They cared little for the life of pokemon. They did horrible things, stuffing them into pokeballs and placing them on shelves for display. His family saw Pokemon as objects of wealth, like exotic creatures to host in a zoo. He grew up believing the same. It was only _her_ that kept him second-guessing.

Sometimes— sometimes Delia thought she might be able to talk him out of it. There were moments. When he smiled at her, when he won a pokemon battle, when he looked after his pokemon- she thought she could see the good person hiding in him, despite all the circumstances.

In those moments, she saw her old friend.

But darkness became him. It was foolish to think otherwise.

He was a monster and would always be a monster.

But on the day she got her starter, her beloved Pikachu- he had been there. Later than everyone else. Her first day as a trainer had been a dizzying whirlwind of spectacle and festivity. She was the only young girl in town who had decided on getting her training license that year. That wasn't that unusual. In those days, girls were usually encouraged to stay away from training. It was a rough and tumble trade even then. Of course, her parents were some of those with that traditional mindset. Delia had to prove her worth, more so than the other boys. She had to be smarter and tougher than all the rest of them.

She came from a wealthy family and had never had her own house pokemon growing up. But she was smart and resourceful. She studied the whole year before her tenth birthday, researching her strategy. She knew the moment she had her starter in her arms, she'd be jumping off into the deep end. It would be a struggle to keep both of their heads above water.

On her first day, she selected a powerful electric starter: A pikachu that in time she could evolve into a raichu. She knew full well the danger in trying to train such an advanced type while inexperienced. But she also knew she had little choice. She wore as much nonconductive clothing as she could and introduced herself to her new pikachu. And in minutes, she was defending herself from several pokemon battles. The boys in her town had predictably seen her as an easy target. She set them straight.

Although a bit unruly, Pikachu had the type advantage to all the other starters. She wiped the floor with them and won Pikachu to her side. They bonded far quicker than even Delia suspected. This pikachu liked winning. So did Delia. Match made in heaven. Joules of energy; _Joulie_ , Delia decided. That would be her name.

Delia had just finished off the last challenger. She and Joulie were panting; cheeks flushed from the exercise. When she heard the rush of footsteps on gravel, Delia turned expecting another boy- possibly here to tag team her with his defeated friend.

It _was_ a boy. But he was evidently not friends with the other. Her opponent looked just as startled by the boy's entrance as she was. He stumbled up the gravel drive in his pinstriped blue pajamas, his face almost as red as Delia's under an unkempt mess of dark hair.

"No," He gasped out, looking between Delia's pikachu and her opponent's downed Charmander. "No, no, no! I'm not too late… I can't be!"

That was Delia's first introduction to John Giovanni. As he rushed through the tattered field that Delia and her Pikachu had scarred with their battles towards the sponsor's office. He fell into a few pokemon made divets. He'd scramble back out, muddy and only slightly more pathetic a sight than before.

Her opponent took far less interest in the proceedings. Grumbling about beginner's luck, he returned his pokemon and made to leave. Delia, however, decided to follow the latecomer.

Their town's sponsor happened to be Delia's aunt Cordelia. Unlike sponsors from other towns, she had no scientific background in pokemon. She was a breeder and could aptly provide new trainers any newly hatched pokemon they could possibly desire. Delia had placed a special order for a Pikachu long before the other trainers in town even had a notion to go for a pokemon license. It would be first come first serve for anyone without Delia's connections. And sure enough, as Delia kicked off her shoes in the front foyer, she could tell it was just as she suspected.

The boy sobbed openly as Cordelia tried to simultaneously scold and comfort him. It _was_ his fault for being late. And nothing could be done to fix the mistake. He'd have to wait a year. A whole year behind all of his peers, Delia's heart went out to him. But, unlike her aunt, she had no sweet words to comfort him.

She and Joulie came up beside the boy. He stared at her and then at her inscrutable pikachu. Delia kept her tongue behind her teeth. After a tense moment, she tore her eyes away from the sorry sight. She asked her aunt for the present, the brand new set of poke balls that her father had bought her. Cordelia had been holding it until Delia was finished scrapping with the other village boys.

"Wait here."

Without another word to John, she marched her way back out. She made her way into the closest bit of wilderness she could find. And the first pokemon her pikachu and her brought back, she passed into Johnny's hands.

"Here," Delia smiled as she handed it over a few minutes later. "It's a Nidoran. Take good care of her."

He started crying harder, hugging the poke ball to his chest. His round face was pink and dark hair still a cute disheveled mess on top of his head. He rubbed at his eyes and said, "Yes, yes. I will. I will, thank you. Thank you."

"My name's Delia. What's yours?"

* * *

 **A** sh was standing in a familiar place. But he knew he was dreaming because he hadn't worn pajamas in years. He used to wear them all the time when he lived at home. His mom liked him to have clothes for every occasion. While traveling, Ash kept to three different shirts at the most. Maybe a single change of pants. And his jacket when he got cold. Packing light was a necessity, especially when traveling to the places he liked to go. The less baggage he carried with him, the better.

So he was in pajamas and he was shorter. At least Ash sensed he was shorter. The countertops certainly seemed a little more difficult to see over. As if they were made for the height of adults and he suddenly wasn't one anymore.

He recognized the cool metallic surfaces, a room decorated with little human sensibility in mind. It wasn't meant for human comfort. It was designed for efficiency and cleanliness. Reminded Ash of a dentist office. He always said so whenever he visited the Professor's lab. How he needed to make it feel less space aged, more warm. Professor Oak always laughed at that.

 _Pokemon don't care about interior decorating, son._ He had said.

Well, with as many opinions as Pikachu had laid on Ash since he had gained the ability to talk with him, Ash thought his first hunch might have been correct. Pokemon probably had several cares that Professor Oak never guessed.

Ash ran his hand along the countertop. It being a dream, he felt nothing. But that was weird. Usually, when Ash knew he was dreaming, he'd wake up. All it took was trying to eat a sandwich that didn't exist or touch something that wasn't there. The feeling of nothing when there was supposed to be something was often enough to knock him out of it. And yet, he seemed stuck here. Here, in an empty room he hadn't walked through in years.

Well, not entirely empty. There were three pokeballs in the center of the room, sitting invitingly on a computer console. From his memory, Ash knew they'd be empty. He was too late to receive any of them. And sure enough, when Ash lifted one off the console and opened it up- it coughed up nothing.

Figuring he probably had no choice but to follow the linear path of his memories, Ash booted up the console just as he had remembered Professor Oak doing. It was more of a facsimile of the motions, having not been actually aware of what functions the buttons on the console did. His dream accepted the intent, revealing the hidden department that contained Pikachu's sealed pokeball.

When Ash reached for the ball, his hand knocked against another. Startled, Ash recoiled. He found himself face to face with a mirror. Except the mirror was dressed in different clothes, equipped with a full pokebelt and looking far less surprised at the circumstance they had found themselves in than Ash did.

"You're him again, aren't you?" Ash asked.

His mirror smiled and nodded. And with a casualness that Ash himself couldn't possibly possess in such a weird situation, the mirror decided to climb up on the console and sit. He pushed the empty pokeballs off, knocking them noisily to the floor. Pikachu's he ignored, deciding to sit alongside it with his too short legs dangling off the side of the console top. If Professor Oak had caught Ash doing that, he'd have killed him. Not that Ash hadn't often wanted to do just that when he was growing up. Especially when standing around for one of the Professor's many lectures.

Ash didn't exactly want to climb up now. His mirror made him uncomfortable. It was too much like him. So he stood at a distance, observing as one would a predator. "Why do you keep showing up?"

" _Because you don't remember me yet."_

"I'm trying… I mean, I know my memory was wiped. I thought that would help… bring some of my memories back. But… I still don't remember anything. I don't even know when it happened. Or even how much of my memory I lost."

" _One day."_

Ash frowned at his other self's cryptic response. "One day… I'll remember?"

" _No,"_ The mirror jumped down, flipping back his classic baseball cap as he did so. _"You lost an entire day of our memories."_

"So what are you then? The day that I lost?"

His mirror flashed him a finger gun and a wink. _"Exactamundo."_

Then he waved out his hands and the room broke apart as if it were only as strong a stack of cardboard boxes. Behind it was a darkened sky and a long dock winding into nothing. He supposed it was a dock on an ocean or lake. But in the limits of his memory, the dock emptied out into sky. Ash looked around the new landscape. He vaguely remembered passing through this area, stopping at a pokemon center to wait out a storm. He had seen Mew that afternoon, slipping through the storm clouds.

Ash realized he had long since come to the conclusion that this day and his lost memories were connected. He just hadn't put them together in so many words.

" _We fought hard to get there. It was so important,"_ His mirror continued, staring hard out into the blank edge of Ash's fragmented memories. _"We had to prove ourselves."_

"To who?"

" _Who else? To Mewtwo."_ As his mirror spoke, he rose his hand and pointed across the expanse of nothing. Ash couldn't see what his mirror could see. The sky went on forever and revealed no secrets.

"So, I went… to Mewtwo… _voluntarily_?" Ash found it hard to believe that even his younger foolhardy self would just decide to meet with Mewtwo. Obviously, it must have been some sort of trap. From what he had pieced together from Mew's memories, Ash had seen how Mewtwo behaved. The creature couldn't be reasoned with. It wanted to start a fight that Ash and Mew seemed willing, at least at that point of their encounter, to give it.

" _We were invited."_

"Oh, of course," Ash blinked, thinking he must have been joking. When his mirror didn't correct himself, Ash continued. "Wait, you're serious?"

" _The world's greatest pokemon master was waiting for me. I couldn't say no."_

"That's… kinda cocky?"

His mirror shrugged. _"I'm ten."_

His mirror started walking, right towards the end of the dock. Ash knew he couldn't stop him. He also knew he couldn't follow. The path wasn't there yet. So he walked alongside, daring one final comment.

"But wait, a pokemon can't be a pokemon master."

His mirror only smiled. They reached the edge of the dock. Ash stayed far from the edge that his mirror was comfortably teetered on. The mirror spared one last backward look to the young man he'd eventually become.

" _I know. I said that too."_ And with that, he stepped out into the open air and disappeared.

* * *

 **H** e returned to himself with violence. As if it was he who slipped over the edge of the dock and into the endless sky. Someone had pinned his pinwheeling arms to his side, keeping him from swinging them out. This didn't exactly help with the terror that had seized him.

"Ash! It's okay! You're safe, you're fine! I've got you!" Someone shouted over his own cries.

Ash swallowed his scream, frozen by the sound of _her_ voice. Although he still didn't know where he was, he felt her arms around him. He could smell her sweet perfume, soft and deep like cedarwood. She never thought the floral stuff smelled good of her, although Ash always thought (or hoped) it might have been because he said floral perfume gave him a headache. Her touch stilled his nervous tremors but not quite the pounding in his chest. He held down his breath and tried to calm down, for her sake.

His heartbeat was still rattling about his ribcage like an angry mankey trying to escape. But Ash dared to open his eyes. The light that made it inside the tarp covered wagon was a low late afternoon orange. It flickered around the deep shadows, only just outlining the pale faces around him.

And Misty, just as he suspected, held him. He was draped across her lap, although he was pretty sure he hadn't fallen asleep in such a position. And oddly enough, when his eyes met hers, he had the strangest feeling that there was disappointment there. But then she gave her head a little shake and it was gone.

"Ash, are you okay?"

Ash didn't answer right away. It was more pressing to extract himself from her embrace. He did so quickly, trying to ignore his burning cheeks.

"I'm fine, fine," Ash mumbled, rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes. "It was just a night-"

Ash looked up, surprised to see Gary there too. He was sitting annoyingly close to Misty. And yet, when Ash put his hand down to touch the wooden slats underneath him, he could feel the familiar hum of the truck's motor. They were still traveling although temporarily idled, perhaps at a traffic stop. That made Gary's appearance all the more confusing.

"What are _you_ doing back here?" Ash asked, his voice coming out more accusatory than it meant it.

"Ouch. Good morning to you too, Sleeping Beauty."

"Sorry," Ash sputtered out, too conscious of Misty's eyes on him. "I just thought you needed to be up front. You know, to give directions."

Gary shrugged. "I switched with the blue-haired guy, what's his name? Jim?"

"James," Ash said at the same time as most of the others sitting in the wagon. Gary didn't seem to notice, waving the answer off.

"Yeah, him. He couldn't sleep. So at the last rest stop, I decided to switch with him. Also, been worried about you, Ashy-boy. You were almost murdered by a swarm of baby pokemon."

His concern might have been touching if he hadn't of punctuated the statement by playfully pinching Ash's nose. _Old habits die hard._ Ash recoiled, rubbing his nose grumpily. "Yeah well, don't remind me."

He hadn't exactly been that forthcoming about what had happened back there in the woods.

First, he wasn't that eager to spread around that he was playing host to a legendary. Even if these were probably the only group of people he'd ever be comfortable sharing such a secret with, it wasn't something you just said. Ash also suspected… although he hadn't yet had to courage to admit it, some of his reluctance was tied up in the small hope that he might somehow reverse what had been done to him. It was more than just a long shot. But if he did what Mew wanted maybe he would just go back to normal, just like things always did after running an errand for the Legendaries. However, if he let the figurative cat out of the bag, that could complicate things. And he might have to admit to himself that there probably wasn't a cure.

He knew it was a childish thing to hope. But the thought was keeping him together and he wasn't willing to let go of it yet.

And second, Ash didn't exactly remember everything that happened. It was a messy blur of running, leaves and dancing lights. Ash could have sworn that he summoned Mew's powers to rescue them. But judging by Misty's nonchalant reaction when asked, perhaps he hadn't? Or was it just as she said and that she had fainted? Had he actually gotten that lucky?

Ash spared a quick glance Misty's way. When his eyes met her own, she predictably looked away. Just as she always had since his unfortunate confession. But not for the first time, Ash suspected a different reason for her avoidance.

Was his secret still a secret? _Or_ , said a dark little thought in the back of Ash's mind, _is she lying to me?_

Ash shook the thought away. No, Misty wouldn't do that. She couldn't keep a secret like that to herself. And even so, why would she? Surely the first hint of Ash's powers would have her flying off the handle trying to get as much information out of him as possible. He _knew_ her. She wouldn't have been satisfied with only half answers.

So the very result of her asking nothing meant she must not have seen anything at all. Ash could have been satisfied with that reasoning if it weren't for her stares that he could feel on him when she thought he wasn't looking. Ever since they had rejoined the others she had kept up a strange dance of staying close and also keeping him at arm's length. Ash couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"So you okay? That nightmare seemed kinda rough," Gary asked, his question bulldozing through the tension he couldn't even begin to sense between his two companions. Misty sat back a bit. Ash folded his arms and turned his back on her in turn.

"It's fine. I've had worse."

"About pidgey?" Gary grinned.

Ash rolled his eyes but it was Misty who punched Gary's arm. "Hey, don't joke. Those were pretty terrifying. I wouldn't blame Ash for having nightmares about them."

"It wasn't that. Just a regular dream about…" Ash paused, staring curiously at his own knees. A thought suddenly struck him. Something he had never considered before. "Hey…" Ash began gently. "Do you guys ever get dreams? Dreams about a long dock leading to the stormy dark skies and a black ocean… or maybe an empty pokemon stadium, on an island?"

Gary shook his head. But Misty looked oddly perplexed. She hesitated before saying, "Not dreams… no. But… but just now, that sounded familiar. Did we ever travel somewhere like that before?"

"It was a pokemon center we stopped at in the middle of a massive storm. Happened back when we were around ten years old… towards the end of my first Indigo league run."

"Yeah, I remember that storm. Kept us in a hotel room in Vermillion all night. They were talking about it looking like the storm of the century and then it just…" Gary spread out his hands and shrugged. "Poof. Nothing. Blew back into the ocean, they said. My girls were quite relieved."

Misty glared at Gary. Although Ash didn't know if it was because Gary interrupted him or if the mention of his previous team of cheerleaders was enough to soil paradise a little for the two love birds. Ash, who admittedly didn't really want to know, cleared his throat.

"Yeah. We were near Pallet. Remember, Misty? You, me and Brock traveled north for some reason. Although none of us could remember why."

Misty rubbed her head. "Yeah, that was weird. It was out of our way and everything. I always just thought you and Brock got us lost again somehow."

Ash nodded and closed his eyes. He felt a familiar hum bubbling up from down deep and it temporarily derailed his thoughts. Mew was present but she wasn't speaking. He could feel her thoughts all the same. As if they had been written on the back of mind, slowly floating to the surface.

 _ **Are you sure you want to tell them this?**_

Pikachu must have been listening in. His pokemon rubbed up against his arm, obviously sensing his friend's discomfort. Ash let his hand fall heavily onto Pikachu's head, scratching him behind the ears. Trying to say without words that he was okay with this.

 _They need to know._

 _ **But are**_ **you** _ **ready to tell them?**_

 _I have to be. We all have to be. Or we won't be able to face Mewtwo._

Privately, in a deeper part of his mind, Ash came upon a realization. He whispered it down deep where Mew couldn't hear. _That's what you were trying to tell me, wasn't it?_

" _ **We fought hard to get there. It was so important… We had to prove ourselves."**_

Ash reopened his eyes. "That's when we first met Mewtwo."

Misty and Gary were both given a start. Jessie, Giovanni, and Meowth, who were honestly only half listening, turned about. Giovanni looked particularly bothered by this news but had sense enough not to open his mouth.

Not Jessie though.

"What? What's this? You've met this pokemon before? Why didn't you say anything?"

Thankfully, Misty saved Ash from having to respond. Unfortunately, it didn't seem as if she were taking his words seriously.

"Hang on, Ash," Misty started, half laughing, half gasping out her response. "There is no way we met Mewtwo before. I would _not_ have forgotten something like that."

"Me neither," added Gary.

"You wouldn't remember. Mewtwo wiped all of our memories." In an afterthought, Ash added. "Except you, Gary. I don't think you were there. Being in Vermillion and all that."

Misty covered her mouth with her hand as if she were about to be sick. "That's not possible. How could a pokemon… have that sort of power?"

"It's not… improbable," came Giovanni's unwanted interruption. All eyes flashed in his direction, only half of them unkind. "Mewtwo has a great many abilities. Some, I believe, we may have only scratched the surface of while he was within our care. I was not aware of memory-altering powers but… he is a pokemon of unfathomable psychic power with incalculable intelligence. If any pokemon had the capacity to wipe memories, I would be unsurprised to learn it was Mewtwo."

Silence fell like a heavy curtain on top of them. Ash couldn't help but notice the white pallor that overtook their faces. Misty was still grabbing at her mouth. Jessie was holding her arms tight to her chest. Gary was gripping at his hair, visibly trembling. Giovanni wasn't looking at any of them.

They were all suddenly as terrified as they should have been.

Gary was the first to say something. He moved his hands out of his hair, clutching his knees to stop the trembling. "Geezus, how do we stop a pokemon _like that_?"

He didn't expect an answer. The fear was back and dark in his eyes. Ash felt well acquainted with that fear. Without even meaning to, Ash's hands automatically moved to the back pocket of his duffle bag, where the powerful violet pokeball lay. He stopped short of pulling it out. He felt its weight in his hands and let it drop free.

"I have a plan."

Gary hadn't expected an answer. But Ash would be giving him one. He noticed Ash's hand hidden in his duffle. He also noticed when Ash pulled his hand free, empty-handed.

"It's not ideal," Ash began again, avoiding Gary's eye. "But my memory is returning. I remember the dock. I remember not remembering. I don't think that's a coincidence."

Misty couldn't help but draw herself closer. Concern was clearly etched on her face, but she held herself back. "Those dreams, right? Didn't that pokemon in your dreams try to kill you?"

Ash smiled wryly. It was a long time he had thought of those old nightmares. There were a lot of real-life nightmares to replace them with. "I think those were the start, yes."

"So in the past, Mewtwo attacked you? And then… for some reason, it erased your memories of it all. Just what kind of pokemon was this thing?" Gary had directed that question mostly at Ash but reflexively turned to Giovanni in turn. After all, he was the only one who had an intact memory of the creature.

Ash nodded to Giovanni when the man hesitated. It was enough to encourage him to speak.

"I think I've already said everything I knew about it. It's insanely powerful and hates the human race. I gave it every reason to harbor those feelings."

"That matches up with what I know of it," Gary agreed begrudgingly.

Ash let his eyes fall closed. He willed the memory Mew had shared with him back into the forefront, examining it anew. Mewtwo radiated anger, that was true. But that was only the first layer, the superficial first impression that anyone could pick up on. Mew certainly didn't feel that way about him anymore. But she was aided by memories he and the others didn't have.

Ash felt Misty's hand on his shoulder.

"What do you remember, Ash?"

"Not much," Ash reopened his eyes. "He wanted to prove something. I don't completely understand what it was. And I guess, since we are all still here, he must have proved it."

Misty frowned a small frown. "I guess… that's one way to look at it."

"If he was powerful enough to erase our memories, wouldn't it stand to reason that he was powerful enough to kill us?" Ash turned to look at the others. They didn't have any answers for him. They only returned his questioning look blankly. So Ash continued, this time directing his question to his father. "If he hated all mankind, why didn't kill a couple of kids? Why are we still alive?"

"So what are you saying, twerp?" Jessie looked more recovered than the others. Even Meowth seemed to be contemplating what Ash was saying, reevaluating his fear. Ash credited that on Team Rocket's eternal optimism. They were used to chasing down Pikachu whilst simultaneously dodging the impossible.

"There are no evil pokemon. Only evil people who make them do evil things," Ash didn't bother to look away from his father. Once again, Giovanni had sense enough to keep his head bowed. Ash balled a fist, his determination and courage mounting, "I'm getting my memory back for a reason. Mewtwo spared us for a reason. I'm gonna ask him what that reason is."

* * *

 **U** nsurprisingly, Ash's plan wasn't taken well. Save for the ever indomitable Team Rocket trio, none of the others felt like Ash was thinking clearly. They thought him soft-hearted at best, downright stupid at worst.

Who in their right mind, when faced with an impossibly powerful pokemon with genes stolen from a chief legendary, would think that a viable solution is to simply talk to it? Would besides Ash?

Maybe it's because they knew him the best. Team Rocket had witnessed too many impossible things being solved by seemingly impossible means. Maybe that's why Ash's plans to talk to Mewtwo seemed no stranger than any other he might have suggested. Even James, who was informed of the situation a bit later on, seemed completely satisfied with the plan.

Course, the other reason may have been that Team Rocket had nothing to lose by playing along. If Ash got his head blasted off trying to coo nice things at a psychic pokemon, at most they'd just have to find a new ride home.

Heck, they might even be at a gain if they snatched up Ash's orphaned pikachu on the way out.

Ash tried not to contemplate that scenario too much though.

When they stopped to rest for the night, Ash went off on his own. Since they were currently in the middle of the woods and Pikachu had trotted off along with him, no one felt the need to follow. The others set up camp while Ash and Pikachu walked a bit of a ways off, discovering a small lake cresting the edge of their campsite. Ash started along the bank leaving Pikachu no choice but to ride on his friend's shoulders. The mud was shallow but enough to swallow up Pikachu's little feet. And the pokemon wasn't that keen about getting the dirt out of his fur later.

" _So,"_ Pikachu began, licking off what bits of dirt had managed to smudge his paws. _"Did you want to talk about your plan?"_

Ash sighed deeply. He stopped, letting his sneakers sink disappointingly in the mud. "I'm guessing you think I'm crazy too?"

" _Not really. I expected you to stick to this route. I also think we should try talking to Mewtwo first. Sneak attack or full frontal assault would be no less insane when dealing with an unknown powerhouse like this. Did you want me to defend your plan for you? Will that make you feel better?"_

Ash smiled. "That won't be necessary."

" _But you still doubt yourself."_

"Yeah, that's me. Mr. Self-esteem."

Ash slipped his hand into his back pocket and withdrew the pokeball he had been trying to forget about unsuccessfully since it was dropped into his hands. He didn't regret stealing it. It was too important that they learn what White Ice had at their disposal. What he regretted was letting Gary know about it.

He saw his rival's look back in the wagon. They both knew what Ash had been thinking at that time. It would be so easy to keep everyone safe. They could solve all their problems with a single well-timed throw.

Ash stared down hard at the purple monstrosity. With a single press, it filled the span of his palm comfortably. It felt no different from any other pokeball. It would be so easy to just forget what it could do.

" **I don't blame you, you know,"** Ash's mouth on its own accord, temporarily arrested by Mew's control. **"Capturing Mewtwo would be the best way to ensure you and your friends' safety."**

Ash gripped the pokeball harder. His hand was trembling as he answered, "Mew… how well do you know, Mewtwo? Is there any reason to believe… that he wouldn't hurt us? Or are you just assuming that he's changed?"

" **I believe he has changed."**

"That's not good enough!" Ash turned about abruptly, nearly knocking Pikachu from his perch. He took to pacing a very short spanse as if he couldn't quite decide where he actually wanted to go. Tethered between two choices, he wavered to and fro. "My friends, my pokemon- they are all looking to me for the right answer. I need to be sure, Mew. They are depending on me to know what I'm doing. But I can't shake the feeling that I'm leading everyone into a trap!"

" **What do you want from me, Ashton? I told you what I know."**

"But you haven't told me _all_ that you know, have you?" Her silence was answer enough. He only waited another half a beat before continuing, "All I have from your memories is a pokemon who was hell-bent on proving himself to the world. He seemed… ready to take anyone and everyone on. I'm pretty sure he could have done it. What made him stop?"

Mew's answer was a soft and fragile thing on Ash's lips. **"You did."**

"How?" Ash could feel her receding from his mind again. She didn't want to have this painful conversation. But he needed to know. How else could he know he was making the right choice?

" **I can't… It wouldn't help..."**

"Please, Mew. I don't have these memories. You need to tell me why you think he's changed. What did I do to change his mind?"

Ash could feel the answer on his tongue but couldn't will it free.

Instead, Mew composed herself and said, **"Ashton… I'll defer to your judgment in this. You don't have to trust me. Whether you decide to use the pokeball or not, you'll know what the right choice is. You saved us before, I know you'll do it again."**

Ash didn't like this answer. But he felt the heavy finality in it. She wasn't going to respond anymore to his needling questions. Mew had fallen away again, down deep where Ash couldn't reach her. He tried a few times. His calls and curses went unanswered.

Ash swung out, fully intending to pitch the pokeball in his frustration. He wanted to cast it right into the center of the lake. He always had a good arm. He could launch it pretty far. But something stopped him. Ash couldn't bring himself to let go of it, even at the peak of his swing. It was still too important. Cursing at himself, Ash minimized and stuffed the damned thing back into his pocket.

" _It's okay,_ Pikapi, _"_ His pikachu said softly, patting his grumpy trainer on the head. _"Like Mew said, you dealt with Mewtwo before. You'll be able to do it again. Even if you can't remember what you did, you'll figure it out. You're the same person, after all."_

Ash nodded and started his glum trudge back towards camp. In the past, Ash would have voiced all his concerns. He would have had no qualms laying himself bare. But now, Ash kept his mouth shut because he knew Pikachu fully understood him. It was funny how his new comprehension was making him feel more dishonest and less sure of himself. He didn't know that learning more could make you feel more stupid.

If he were braver, he would have admitted that he actually wasn't the same person. And that's exactly what terrified him the most.

As soon as Ash was within view of the group's makeshift camp, he could hear the arguing, loud and boisterous as it was. Ash was half surprised he hadn't heard them from further off. Thinking it might be necessary for him to step in, Ash picked up his pace. Pikachu only just held on as Ash jogged his way back to the others. And as he came closer, Ash could finally piece together what the argument was about.

Ash was no more thrilled about it than the others had been.

"Splitting up?" Ash spat out, as soon as he within the confines of their camp circle. He tossed off his backpack in frustration, nearly knocking Pikachu off his shoulder in the process. Pikachu let out a few choice curse words that Ash pretended he couldn't hear. "Why on earth would we want to split up?"

"Oh good," a decidedly exasperated Gary groaned. He waved in Ash's direction as he continued as if trying to shoo him away again, "Just what I needed. Mister Sensible-And-Never-Overreacts to come back before we finished hashing this out. Look this was always a possible outcome."

"But we all agreed that we should try to avoid it at all costs," Misty interrupted. By the red hue her face had taken, Ash guessed she had been yelling just as much as the others had been. "There's no sense in splitting up. It makes us more vulnerable if we should be ambushed. We don't have any means to contact each other if we are!"

"It also makes us less suspicious than one giant group. And that's better to avoid possible ambush."

"I don't relish at the idea of lessening our numbers but young Oak has a point," came Giovanni's unwanted interruption. "The less attention we draw to ourselves, the better we would be in the long run. Better to avoid conflict altogether."

Jessie and James may have been on opposing sides before, (and judging from the raised voices Ash had heard earlier they must have been) but now they nodded along like obedient little bobbleheads to Giovanni's peace. Ash couldn't stand looking at them. He kept forgetting how much sway his father still had over others.

"What about the wild pokemon, Gary?" Ash finally spat out. "Don't you think they could attack again?"

To Gary's credit, he looked appropriately humbled. But he was still undeterred, "Yes. But I hardly think it improves our chances as a larger group. Damn little things were near impossible to stop. Would be easier to prepare for random lightning strikes. We just have to hope they don't come for us. And we might be less of a target if we aim for stealth tactics."

"Why are we even splitting up in the first place?"

"We don't have a choice," Misty answered for Gary, relieving him from having to relay all the bad news. "We can't go any further with the truck. Public roads don't turn that way. We have to cut through these woods to the next destination, on foot." Ash noted she had forgotten not to make eye contact with him. She said her spiel, meeting Ash's dark eyes unflinchingly. It took Ash a moment to realize that perhaps she hadn't simply forgotten but was intentionally and wordlessly impressing Ash with the weight of decision they were making. The danger, the risk, all of it.

Once again, Ash was left with the impression that she knew far more than she claimed she did. Once again, Ash wondered if she saw someone else behind his eyes.

"As I said, that was always a possibility," came Gary's thoughtless interruption. "I just didn't know for sure until we got here."

Ash frowned and shook his head a little. "A little heads up would have been nice," he grumbled.

"And have to deal with you sulking the whole way here, no thank you."

Misty stood up suddenly, drawing all nearby eyes to her. "If it's inevitable then, I'm going with Ash."

Ash's heart lifted only to be swiftly kicked back down by Gary's quick retort of "Absolutely not."

"Why no-"

Gary gently tugged down on the brim of the cap she had on her head still. "You're our decoy, remember? A head shorter but still around the same proportions as Ash. We need you in the opposite party of Ash so that if we are followed, they aren't able to pick Ash out of our group."

Misty grumpily pulled her hat back from his grip. "Why can't you be a decoy?"

Gary ignored her, turning to Ash instead. Or so Ash thought. Gary's eyes were instead leveled on that of the pikachu on Ash's shoulder.

"Pikachu too," Gary said, gesturing to the surprised pokemon. "He's too recognizable. He'll need to travel with Misty to throw off the scent."

" _Oh hell no. Not again,"_ Pikachu spat. _"This is the stupidest plan, absolutely not."_

Ash turned his body to protectively place himself between Gary and his Pikachu. To save both from each other mostly. He didn't want to admit that Gary's plan actually seemed to make a lot of sense. He _really_ didn't want to admit that. But Ash could see the logic in splitting their large party and in decreasing the chance that the group that he was in would be chased. Even if it made sense, Ash didn't have to like it.

"You're going to take my strongest pokemon from me and leave me defenseless?" Ash asked archly.

"Charizard?"

Ash shrugged, "Glass cannon. It's easy to exploit the weakness of a fire pokemon with an exposed fire element. Pikachu is still the best protection I have against White Ice."

Gary sighed in an unnecessarily long and exaggerated way. But he had already been pushed to his limits with the others. He didn't want to keep arguing. He twisted a pokeball off his belt and dropped it heavily into Ash's hand.

"Take Starfish."

Ash unintentionally wrinkled his nose. "A water pokemon?"

"No, dumbass. It's my Jolteon." Gary's cheeks were pink and he didn't meet Ash's questioning look. "I don't usually do nicknames but… you know…" It didn't take a genius to realize the significance of the pokemon. In a flash, Ash remembered the pictures he had seen on Misty's phone. Ash recalled in one of them, one of the clearly more couple-like pictures that Ash didn't want to linger on, Misty and Gary had been cooing over two identical baby eevees. Starfish. Jolteon and Vaporeon.

Ash frowned down at the pokeball, hating what it meant and hating himself for feeling that way. He shook the jealous feeling away. And then Pikachu stole his attention back by patting his cheek.

" _Hey_ Pikapi _. Don't tell me you're actually thinking of going through with this."_

"It might be for the best."

" _Ugh. You're seriously trading me for a Jolteon."_

"It's only temporary."

" _It better be."_

If it were anyone else, Ash doubted they would have been able to convince Pikachu to go. But because it was Misty… Pikachu would go. There was only one other person he trusted and loved as much as he loved his human partner. He always had a bit of a soft spot for girls. But Misty, in particular, she was just the right kind of human. The right kind of temperament and right kind of intelligence, Pikachu couldn't help but admire her aptitude for pokemon battles. She was a lot of things that Ash was not. It would have been perfect if he could have had both humans around all the time. This was all what Ash assumed Pikachu must have felt. Admittedly, he had never asked.

Although up until recently, he wouldn't have understood the reply.

"Take good care of her, okay? Don't let her be reckless," Ash muttered under his breath, careful to keep certain ears from hearing, before gently passing Pikachu off his shoulder and onto Misty's.

" _Like you?"_ Pikachu smirked.

"Yeah. Like me."

"Like who?"

"Nothing," Ash said quickly, retreating now that the exchange had been made. Misty looked about as thrilled of this plan as Ash was. She reluctantly accepted Pikachu with a friendly chin scratch but couldn't keep the disapproval from her face.

"This might fool White Ice but only White Ice," She grumbled.

Ash started at her words. _He_ knew they had other enemies but what other enemies was _she_ imagining?

The fight had been fizzled out of everyone. A long day of traveling had left them with short tempers but hardly any energy to act upon it. And while Ash had hoped they wouldn't split the party until morning, Gary found it imperative to put some distance between each other as soon as possible.

Ash had been surrendered over to a group that consisted mostly of Team Rocket, minus a Meowth and Boss. Giovanni, Gary, Misty, Pikachu, and Meowth would all walk as a separate party.

The truck was already gone. And since Ash and Jessie were both slow to unpack, their group was volunteered to take point. They would start walking for the rest of the evening, resting only once the sun had come up. Jessie had taken to complaining again, grumbling about lost beauty sleep despite having snored her way through most of the journey so far.

They had just been making some final preparations, reluctantly saying goodbye to a campsite they wouldn't be able to enjoy. Ash ran through a quick inventory check when James came up alongside and elbowed him hard.

Ash hadn't thought it was intentional first. But then, indignantly rubbing his side and looking up, Ash met James' raised eyebrow look. The man was nodding in Misty's direction. She sat by the campfire, her yellowed hair haloed by the low firelight. She was having a one-sided conversation with Pikachu and the pokemon appeared to be humoring her.

"Last chance," James whispered.

Ash resisted the urge to argue. Gary was nowhere in sight. It probably was his last chance.

Ignoring James' knowing smile he felt on his back, Ash reluctantly approached. She saw him coming and offered him a small smile.

"Can I sit?" Ash asked, pointing to a spot on the log just down from Pikachu.

Misty generously waved the whole log to him. "Be my guest."

He sat, looking nervously from his pokemon to his best friend in turn. Ash didn't know what James expected from him. Hell, Ash didn't even know what he was thinking himself. Now that he was faced with her, all the questions were just a burning twisted mess inside. He couldn't even begin to untangle one to ask the other. How did she feel about him? What did she actually know? Were she and Gary dating? Was she aware of Mew now? He just stared at her face until it got a bit too obvious and awkward. Then he stared at his feet.

"I think you… I think you are lying to me," Ash said at last. It seemed the accusation was the easiest to get out. It was always too easy to argue with her.

He half expected her to get angry as she always had in the past. Even the smallest passive criticism was bound to toss her into the throes of rage. But this time, her response was an even and calm, "Lying? What do you mean?"

Ash couldn't help but stare back at her suspiciously. She brazenly met his gaze. It was almost as she was expecting this conversation. That she had been preparing for it.

"You saw more than you claimed. Back when those pidgey attacked."

"I already told you what I saw, Ash. Was there supposed to be something more?"

Suddenly, Ash realized he was at a great disadvantage. Probing her for answers would force him to show his hand. And Ash suspected she knew this too. He looked helplessly to Pikachu. The pokemon only shrugged.

Ash ran a hand down his face and laughed weakly. "No… I guess not. Nevermind."

He sat only a moment more before climbing back to his feet. He held out a hand to his friend.

"I'll catch you later, Mist."

Misty smiled but it looked like a lot of effort. She took his hand. "Be safe, Ash."

"I always am."

* * *

To Be Continued...  
Please Read and Review!

I apologize for taking so long with this chapter. Lots of irl stuff cropped up and derailed my schedule a few times. I'm currently working multiple jobs and applying to grad school so as you can imagine, my schedule can get a bit busy at times.

As always, thanks to those who have reviewed: Shaveza, AshKetchumForever, Ashora, YumeTakato and guests! I always appreciate the feedback, guys. It's nice to know people are reading and enjoying the story.

Next time, Ash and Starfish have an unusual encounter in the forest. You can expect the next update sometime around the July/August time frame. See you all then!


	7. Thrown to the Wolves

**Last Time On Hia:**

Wayward kindness, strange dreams, lost memories, a master ball, and a decision to part ways.  
Quote: "I'm getting my memory back for a reason. Mewtwo spared us for a reason. I'm gonna ask him what that reason is."

* * *

 **Chapter Seven:** Thrown to the Wolves

'Cause the devil's got my arms  
And it pulls me back into the night  
But I should just walk away, away  
Oh, it grips me  
-Seeb, Bastile

 **A** sh hadn't exactly expected a quiet march through the woods; not with Team Rocket as his companions. But he thought he might get at least a few precious moments to recollect himself. His final conversation with Misty had left him feeling anxious, buzzing with an energy he had no business having so late into the evening. Ash readjusted the backpack straps that were digging into his shoulders and resisted the urge to pick up the pace. He wanted to wade in his troubled thoughts, hoping that some sort of answer might come to him while doing so.

So consumed, Ash hadn't noticed that the Team Rocket duo were not going to leave him to his ruminating.

James had slowed down so that he matched Ash's sluggish pace. Then he leaned over, not really bothering to keep his voice down, and said, "So, I'm gonna assume you did what I told you to? Since you had ample opportunity?"

Ash started, only managing a blank stare in return. James sighed a long disappointed sigh.

"Well, I don't know what you were expecting, James. Once a twerp, always a twerp," Jessie called over her shoulder. "You actually thought he'd tell her? Where have you been for the last eight years?"

Ash shot a furious look in James' direction that the man aptly dodged.

"You told her?" snapped Ash.

"Well I-"

"Oh come on, twerp. He didn't need to. I have eyes," She gestured to them needlessly and fluttered her lashes as if he actually had any doubts. She tossed her words casually but Ash felt them as solid as a slap to his face. "You two weren't exactly being subtle."

"As if Team Rocket knows anything about being subtle," Ash grumbled. Despite grumbling under his breath, he had kinda intended for Jessie to hear him. Whether she did or not, she carried on as if she hadn't.

Turning back to address the others, she rather skillfully took the path backward. Ash watched with morbid fascination as her feet only narrowly skipped over tree roots and wayward branches. He was only half-listening, wondering when she'd accidentally march herself backward over a log.

"So you get what I'm saying?" Jessie said suddenly, jolting Ash back out of his daydreams.

"Huh?"

Jessie rolled her eyes. "I said…" She continued, over accentuating her words in thinly veiled aggravation. "The longer you wait, the harder it will be. Like ripping off a bandaid. And if you're too combusken shit to say anything, just take her up in your arms and smack one on her. Girls love men of action."

"Do _not_ do that," James implored.

"Shut up, James," She pointed to herself vigorously. "Woman here. Kinda know what I'm talking about."

"She's in a relationship with someone else. He can't just go around kissing another person's girlfriend!"

"Why not? Maybe if he showed a little spine, she'd realize he's the better choice."

James shook his head. "That's terrible advice, Jessie. You're gonna start a fight between the twerps."

"The drama would be hilarious." Jessie's voice took on a higher mocking tone as she poorly imitated his friends. "Oh no! What will become of the power of friendship? Pikachu! Power hug our way out of this!"

"We do not sound like that."

"Says the twerp." Thankfully, Jessie didn't seem in the mood for teasing him. Instead, she dropped her smirk and returned to the pressing conversation at hand. "So what are you waiting for then? For your feelings to change? For her to run away with the other guy?"

"I'm not _waiting_. I'm just… trying to find the right moment, is all." Ash was careful not to meet any of their eyes when he said this. He could feel their scornful stares burning into his skin. His anxiety forced more pointless excuses from his mouth. "Maybe… a moment when Gary isn't around. A moment when I feel she might take it better. Or a moment when we aren't in danger. It doesn't seem fair to spring something like this on her when she is already dealing with so much."

Ash could feel the conversation unraveling out from under him. He wanted his excuses to stick stronger. But they were flimsy and empty and only had weight with him, the one desperate to avoid confronting his feelings.

"There's _never_ going to be a perfect moment. With all that criteria how could you possibly expect there to be?" Jessie then lightly swung out to backhand James' unprotected arm. He flinched unnecessarily at the light smack. "Take James here. Do you know when he confessed to me?"

"Could we not share this story?" sighed James, rubbing pathetically at his arm.

"It's _pertinent_."

"You _really_ don't have to-"

But Jessie had already started. She ignored both boys' protests and began describing one of the many precarious situations that "Ash and his Pikachu put them in". Ash didn't bother correcting her for fear of starting an argument in which he had no real investment. All parties involved knew who really put themselves into those situations.

Team Rocket had somehow found themselves and their damaged hot air balloon hanging from power lines. This certainly was a more dangerous situation than Ash was used to. He felt a twinge of guilt knowing that, while always acting in self defense, he _was_ slightly to blame. He never really thought about where or how they landed after he had Pikachu "blast them off".

Jessie continued to regale him with the tale. Sparks flying, blood rushing to his head from his upside down position, James had reached out to Jessie's outstretched hand. He was wedged pretty tight in the remains of the basket. But Jessie had fallen free, her foot snagged in a tangle of tree branches. Meowth was elsewhere and Jessie hadn't elaborated. Clearly their pokemon partner's location wasn't the focus of her narrative.

The branch was starting to snap and James couldn't get his fingers to reach her flailing arms. He thought he couldn't reach her. Jessie was panicking and everytime she tried to swing herself closer, she risked sending herself tumbling to her death. There was nothing else that could be done.

With tears in his eyes, James reached out a final time, fingers just narrowly brushing her own and whispered a tender, _"I'm sorry… I love you."_

Ash was struck by the story's sincerity. Even when so flippantly recalled by Jessie, Ash could sense the genuine feeling behind it.

"See?" Jessie spat out, shattering the effect of the moment. "Definitely not the opportune moment."

"Come on, cut me a break! I thought we were gonna die, Jessie!"

"Exactly my point! What in the world was I supposed to do with that information then? Little preoccupied!" Jessie then rounded back on the sulking teenager behind her. Ash couldn't help but jump at being the center of her scolding again. "So don't confess in that perfect moment you are waiting for. You'll only end up waiting until she doesn't have time to answer you. And then what good would that do anyone?"

Ash stared and continued to stare ahead even after Jessie had turned back around. He wondered if that was what he was waiting for? A moment that could steal away the consequences of her answer. Did he really intend to bottle his feelings up until that moment? Or would he do as he idealistically promised, and take these feelings with him to his grave?

"It doesn't really matter," Ash mumbled at last, mostly talking to himself. "I technically already confessed to her thanks to a certain someone…"

"You did?" Both James and Jessie cried, reacting to his grumbled words with far more gusto than Ash had expected. Once again, Ash jumped as the duo rounded on him- demanding answers. "What do you mean? _What did she say?_ What do you mean _technically_?"

"It's uh- It's nothing!" Ash hastily replied, wrenching himself free from their demanding grip. "I just blurted something out. I don't even know if she heard me." He looked away glumly before adding, "At least she never said anything about it. Maybe she wanted to pretend she didn't hear."

"Tough break, twerp."

"All the more reason to _talk to her,_ like I said," implored James. "You're just making everything worse by not clearing the air."

"Oh, just let the kids be kids, James. Makes this ill-begotten road trip a little more interesting. I'm betting a five that the other guy decks the twerp once before the end of it."

"Not helping, Jessie."

"Not trying to~!" Jessie sang back with one one more flippant wave before blazing the trail again. "It's not like Prince Twerp is gonna listen to a couple of _Team Rocket_ members anyway."

Ash frowned at the tasteless nickname. He honestly preferred just plain 'twerp'. But rather than argue, he turned his gaze on the other Rocket member; the one he suspected actually had his best interest at heart. He couldn't help his eyes falling on James' chest. He could still see the tell-tale rumple of his shirt that hinted at the bandages still hiding underneath.

"How are you holding up?" Ash asked his shirt.

"The past couple of days of rest have been good. I can probably go without the bandages soon."

James smiled kindly at him but Ash avoided the look. It made him feel uncomfortable. How do you thank someone for taking a bullet for you? It seemed impossible to even start.

James took pity on him and continued talking,

"You gonna check out your friend's pokemon? It's a jolteon, isn't it?"

Ash's hand unconsciously floated over to where the pokeball rested on his belt. He had completely forgotten about it. It probably would be prudent to get to know the new addition to his team, especially if he expected the jolteon to come to bat for him. But then again… Ash wasn't looking forward to an actual conversation with a strange new pokemon, especially not one of Gary's. Who knows what sort of warped personality it had? Ash stared reluctantly down at the pokeball, knowing what he should do but kinda hoping he didn't have to.

"Oh!" Jessie cried out, leaping back into the conversation where she was unwanted. "I've always loved the eevee evolutions. Letsee it!"

Ash couldn't help giving her a sour look. "You're not stealing it."

"Really? That's hurtful. After all, we've gone through for you. Don't you think we are past that now?"

"Fine. Fine. Just… give me a second."

He took a deep breath to brace himself, something clearly seen as unnecessary by Jessie. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Waiting for a drum roll?"

He ignored her.

A sudden flash and crack of thunder split through the night causing the whole group to jump. Ash thought he might have cried out. The lightning strike was so close that he could still feel the electricity buzzing in the air. He somehow managed not to toss out Gary's pokemon, instinctively hugging it to his chest. Jessie had more sense than the other two. Fear surged adrenaline-fueled action into her body. She grabbed both boys by their sleeves and dragged them after her as she sprinted towards the thicker treeline.

Ash had a thought from somewhere that being near trees in a thunderstorm was probably a bad idea. Weren't they supposed to lie flat in the dirt or something like that? The rain was coming down in sheets now though and Ash didn't relish that idea. Going deeper into the woods seemed a better if not dryer solution.

They took shelter underneath some rather leafy oaks, squeezing together to share the limited canopy the tree could provide. It was only a short run from the path to this cluster of trees but already they were drenched. Ash plopped down on the ground with a disgruntled huff. He was really starting to dislike this plan Gary concocted.

"Damn that, guy," Jessie spat, speaking Ash's own thoughts aloud.

"Hey, Jessie. Don't start."

"If not for him, we'd be sleeping in a warm tent right now!"

"You agreed to the plan… This is just some bad luck."

"I blame him entirely." Jessie shivered in an exaggerated fashion. Then her attention drifted back to Ash and the miniaturized pokeball he was weaving between his fingers. "Too bad he didn't lend you a flareon or maybe we could have gotten a bit of warmth here."

Ash stopped fidgeting with the pokeball.

"If you want, he could let out Charizard," said James with a knowing smile.

"I was thinking of a more pocket-sized pokemon, thank you very much."

Ash stared at the borrowed pokeball. It hadn't been more than a few hours but he already missed Pikachu. The little rodent would not have been thrilled to be out in a storm like this. Thunderstorms were all well in good, so long as Pikachu did not have to get wet in one. But Ash would have been happier for the company.

He hit the maximize button. And before he could think better of it, Ash emptied the pokeball out in front of him. A spikey-haired vulpine creature stepped from the familiar red flash. It gave its cute little head a shake, ruffling its already disheveled fur.

"Oh, you decided to bring it out," said Jessie excitedly. Her voice turned the pokemon's head. It blinked, yawned and then blinked again before turning back to examine the young man with the pokeball.

" _Hi,"_ The pokemon chirped. _"Well, I have to say… while I am disappointed to have been traded without my consent, you don't seem to be bad people. What do you humans call yourselves? My nickname was Starfish… It probably means something really cool in human. Human names are funny."_

"Hi… Starfish. My name is Ash. This is Jessie and James," said Ash, gesturing to each person he introduced.

" _Ash-human, Jessie and James-human. Got it,"_ Starfish nodded along.

"And it's only a temporary trade. It's… hard to explain but I just need your help for a bit."

" _I'm very helpful."_

"I'm sure you are."

Starfish's eyes suddenly got very big and it jumped back away from Ash. _"Wait. Did you just understand me?"_

"Oh… yeah. I forgot to mention I could do that. I… um, well. Yes. I can. Understand you, that is."

" _Wow. I've never met a human like you before… You're really weird, Ash-human."_

"So they tell me."

Unfortunately, Jolteon wasn't the only one gawking at Ash. He had completely forgotten about the other two humans standing beneath the tree next to him. Jessie was particularly taken aback.

"When the hell... could you do that? You can talk to them now?"

"I could always talk to them..."

"You know what I mean!"

"Yes, yes- okay? I can speak to pokemon now, happy?"

"Is this a creepy 'chosen one' thing?"

"No! I mean, yes… no. Maybe, I don't know. Does it matter?"

"Matters if it means a giant legendary pokemon is gonna come eat us later because you stole something of theirs again."

Ash couldn't help the sour look on his face. "You're safe. I haven't robbed anyone lately."

"Are we though? I'm sorry, twerp, but you keep getting freakier and freakier."

" _Hey!"_ Starfish snapped, jumping between them, static sparks dancing up and down its fur dangerously. _"Ash-human doesn't need to take any mean words from you. You're making him sad and it's my job to protect him!"_ The jolteon paused before looking back to Ash. _"That's right, right? My mission?"_

"Um… yeah. That's about right."

" _Right!"_ Starfish whirled back around, confidence restored. _"So you need to back off my new temporary master!"_

"Jolteon, it's really okay. I'm not upset."

" _Starfish."_

"Ah- right. Starfish, it's okay. Don't attack Jessie, please."

" _I take my job very seriously!"_ Starfish said, still snarling at the redhead.

"We can all see that."

" _Really? Good!"_ Starfish immediately dropped his aggressive stance and hopped back over to Ash, doing a few spins in replace of tag wags. _"Cause I do! I'm gonna be the best temporary pokemon bodyguard you've ever had, Ash-human!"_

And he was, for the most part. Starfish's unflagging optimism was only surpassed by his desire to do right by Ash. It was funny because Ash had never thought Gary the type to inspire such loyalty. He himself had always had loyal pokemon but never to this fervent degree. Ash had to chalk it up to being a fault of personality more so than anything Gary inspired.

The rain eventually abated enough for the trio to duck out from their temporary shelter. Jessie put a sizeable distance between her and the hyperactive jolteon. Years of dealing with Ash's pikachu had taught her prudence, even with one she might have coveted. She had seen the sparks and knew the signs. Always a good idea to give unfriendly pokemon a wide berth.

They trudged on, this time in a silence enforced by the pokemon addition. Starfish was making sure the others left Ash alone. If only Starfish would heed his own demand for silence as it turned out the jolteon was quite the chatterbox. Ever since discovering that Ash could understand him, Starfish had hundreds of human related questions he wanted answered. Most were related to English phrases he couldn't quite make out. Sometimes it was about strange objects that humans used, usually cooking or bathroom related. Ash found himself awkwardly talking around what a toilet was for. Apparently Gary wasn't exactly shy around his pokemon, letting them wander underfoot while taking care of business. It didn't help that Mew seemed equally curious about these conversations and kept surfacing long enough for a comment or two before Ash had to yank her back out of the control seat.

Starfish seemed to notice these moments; the shift in Ash's voice patterns. He'd pause and look Ash's way curiously, his gaze lingering steadily on Ash's face and eyes. But oddly, it was the one question he didn't ask. Perhaps he found Ash weird enough as it was, as a human who could speak effortlessly to pokemon.

It was after one of these moments that Ash changed topics. Distracted by the shifting colors in Ash's eyes, the pokemon was silent long enough for Ash to get a word in.

"Starfish," Ash began urgently, careful to keep his voice down in case Jessie or James happened to overhear. "What do you know about Misty?"

" _Misty-human? She's the one of you with red fur, right?"_

"Yes, that's right."

Jolteon shrugged. _"What about her? Oh! She owns my littermate. My sister. Evolved into a Vaporeon… poor choice if you ask me. But sis seems happy, I guess… Is that it? Do you want to know about my sister?"_

"Ah no. I know about Vaporeon."

" _That's the other thing. My sister doesn't have a cool human name. She said she doesn't mind but I think she minds."_

"Starfish, focus. Misty, remember."

" _I remember."_

"What did… What did Gary… _think_ of her?"

Starfish stared and then thoughtfully looked ahead, marching forward and still keeping in step with Ash's larger strides. After a brief moment, he said, _"What do you mean? Is she something else to think about?"_

"Uh..."

" _Is she a pokemon? Can she talk to pokemon?"_

"What? No! I mean, how did he feel about her?"

" _Oh. Feel. I understand. He liked her, for sure. They did all the human things. Holding paws. Playing with each other's fur. Pressing their faces together. You humans are so weird,"_ Starfish laughed, completely ignorant of the slightly green tint Ash's face had taken.

"So they _are_ dating…"

" _I don't know what you mean by_ _ **dating**_ _, Ash-human. Gary-human cared a lot for the Misty-human. As much as he cared for me. Maybe more though… since he traded me. But it's okay. Like you said, it's only temporary. Oh, is that it? Did he trade me for Misty-human? That'd be a good trade!"_

"Something like that," Ash mumbled. Ash turned his face away. And because Starfish could tell that the question upset his new master, he decided to keep quiet for a little while. At least until Ash-human felt better.

They walked on in quiet contemplation. Ash trying to chase away jealous thoughts and Starfish swallowing questions before his mouth tried to ask them. He never had to control his chattering before it was proving quite a challenge.

They had been walking for quite some time like that, each trying to deal with what they were bottling up inside. Their thoughts were sluggish, heavy and yet demanding of full attention. Ash missed a step here or there, stumbling in his endless pace forward.

Starfish shook himself free of the stupor first; the first to realize that something was wrong. He felt the heaviness and the darkness inking up the edges of his vision. The pokemon had never encountered something of this sort before but it raised his hackles involuntarily.

"A-Ash-human, Ash-human!" Starfish barked in alarm.

The sudden sharp sound split through whatever spell he had been wandering around in. Ash found himself suddenly aware of the change of atmosphere. It was as if a dark cloud had enveloped them. Ash could no longer see the members of Team Rocket that he had been numbly following behind. Everything had been swallowed up by the thick suffocating darkness.

"What's going on?"

" _Stay behind me. This stinks of Legendaries."_

Ash felt a small rise of indignation inside that probably came from Mew. She wanted to say something. Probably something about her scent being perfectly pleasant. But Ash swallowed her protests. Not only was it pointless to argue for a scent she could no longer have without a body but now was hardly the time to debate it.

However, the pokemon trainer wasn't about to let the jolteon face this threat alone. Especially if they were dealing with a legendary.

But when he reached for his other pokeballs, Ash felt his hand slow and then stop. As if something were holding his arm back. Or more likely, controlling his hand and pulling it away from his pokeballs.

"Mew," Ash hissed.

" **It's not me,"** his lips urgently replied.

Ash could see the faint glow outlining his fingers. A psychic attack. He felt his racing heart beat in his throat.

 **Stay your hand.**

The voice was everywhere and nowhere at once. The words filled up his head with their command. They ached with a deep familiarity. When Ash raised his head, he fully expected to see the familiar haunting silhouette looming over him.

But instead, the shadows parted for a pokemon decidedly un-legendary. A silvery lycanroc of midday evolution. It approached purposefully, ignoring the sparking cheeks of Ash's electric protector.

Ash had never seen a lycanroc up close before. They weren't exactly common in the Kanto region. The closest he had come to one was through the digital scrolls of his Pokédex. It was the pokemon source of all werewolf stories. But he knew enough about them to know they were rock types, not psychic. Ash stumbled back, trying not to think of how easily its jaws could fit around his throat.

Starfish didn't share Ash's fear, or prudence. This was a rock type pokemon threatening his new master. Starfish hated rock types.

Starfish leapt before Ash could even bring out the sound to protest. It was over quickly. Lycanroc was viciously fast and merciless. It was larger and stronger and easily overpowered the tiny electric type. With brutal effectiveness, lycanroc snatched the pokemon out of the air with its snapping jaws. It shook and flung the pokemon about, shaking the fight out of it. Electricity poured from its mouth harmlessly, scorching the ground around them but doing nothing to the solid pokemon standing in its midst.

"Stop!" Ash cried out far too late. "You're killing him!"

Lycanroc was unmoved by Ash's warbled plea. But it did drop the jolteon at its feet, bleeding and broken. Ash could still see the small sparks dancing across its bloodied fur. However, Starfish wasn't moving.

Tears fell from Ash's face unbidden. He didn't know if they were his own but with how he felt, they could have been. For the first time in a long time, Mew's presence at his side was not the comfort he needed it to be.

He was terrified out of his mind. And Mew's mix of emotions did little to quell the tumult of his own.

"What do you want from me?" Ash screamed out around tears.

The pokemon came closer and still Ash stumbled back. But he couldn't keep running and he knew it. Ash was being maneuvered towards a steep ditch at the side of the path. Ash didn't know if the pokemon intended to corner him or to send him down it.

This close to the Lycanroc now, Ash could see the milky film over its normally blue eyes. Just like the pidgey.

 _It wasn't Mewtwo. It wasn't Mewtwo!_ And that sudden realization gave Ash a surge of courage. He stood his ground and allowed the lycanroc to approach.

"This ends here, pokemon. I don't know what you want but I'm not going to let you chase me anymore."

Ash let the flame of Mew's powers ignite in his hands. The pink light illuminated the clearing but didn't frighten Lycanroc. Again, like with the pidgey, a human having pokemon abilities seemed merely an obstacle, not a surprise.

 **Why?**

Ash shouldered against the unpleasant voice. "What do you mean?"

 **Why this vessel? Why this powerless successor?**

"I'm- I'm not a vessel!" Ash snapped.

The lycanroc rolled its filmed eyes. Then, ignoring Ash's retort, it continued. **Why? ...Mew.**

Ash meant to argue more. But Mew wrestled him for control. They struggled for a moment, a mix of two consciousness that were unwilling to yield for the other. Ultimately, Ash relented. He trusted her. And he suspected this conversation was part of the reason she needed to cheat her death.

When Ash's eyes opened again, they shone an iced blue. She shook the flames from Ash's hands but didn't lower his raised guard.

" **He's my choice, mother. Not yours."**

Lycanroc paced around him, sizing him up. If Ash had full control of his faculties, he would have tried to strike out at the pokemon. At least summon one of his pokemon. But Mew kept her cool, letting the pokemon circle but not keeping her eye off it.

 **But it's a human.**

" **He will adapt."**

 **Or die.**

" **He will adapt. I chose him. I know him. He is strong."**

The lycanroc gave a shake as if to toss off water from its fur, or to shake off Mew's repulsive words. It was clear from the lycanroc's body language what it thought of Mew's choice.

 **Could you not choose another?**

" **The choice is made. It-** " Mew's voice faltered, just for a moment. **"It is final."**

The lycanroc came to attention at that.

 **You lost your body.**

There was a sinister edge to the bodiless voice. The lycanroc's fur stood on end and its lips curled exposing its bloodied canines.

Again Mew stayed calm when Ash wouldn't. She kept them in place and still.

 **I knew it. I knew it!**

The lycanroc became suddenly animated, pacing back and forth in front of Ash. The voice continued on passionately, **They killed you! Those worthless creatures. They killed you! They killed my baby!**

Lycanroc threw its head skyward and let out a heartrending howl. For the briefest of moments, Ash felt a twinge of pity. He could hear the agony in its voice. But the anger was there too and there was little doubt at who it would be directing its rage.

Sure enough, when Lycanroc returned its attention to them, its stance was not friendly. And this time Mew reacted. She summoned her own power into Ash's hands. Although he couldn't be sure, Ash suspected that was the only reason Lycanroc did not strike.

 **And now you rot away inside one of their kin. A child even. You will die and it will follow you. Mark my words, Mew. You chose poorly.**

" **It will only be poor if you interfere. Go home, mother. You are not wanted or needed here."**

 **Clearly you are still making poor choices.**

But Mew's words had some weight. The lycanroc dropped its hostile stance. And much like a tamed pokemon would, it sat down before them.

 **Let me speak to the human.**

Ash was startled by Mew's quick ascent. He found himself pushed back into his own body; the fire of Mew's powers still smoldering in his hands. Clearly Mew did not think it wise to disarm him.

 **What do they call you?**

"Ash." It was only after he spoke did he consider lying. But no, somehow Ash could feel that there was no point. It, whatever it was and wherever it was, would know if he lied.

The lycanroc's maw twisted into an unnatural toothy smile.

 **Fitting.**

Ash kept his face emotionless but inside he felt like screaming. He had no strength for a retort. It was taking all his courage to keep standing. The blood was pounding in his ears but somehow he could still hear its voice as clearly as if it was his own.

 **Some advice, Ash.**

Ash instantly regretted giving this creature his name.

 **If you want to die, then feel free to get in my way.**

The Lycanroc smiled nastily again.

 **And you will. Oh, you will want to die. So very badly. Mew has made sure of it.**

Ash's hand suddenly shot out without his own consent. A surge of energy blasted the ground right beside the lycanroc, missing it by inches and showering them both with dirt. Ash immediately grabbed his wayward hand, still throbbing from the surge of power and pressed it tight to his chest. As if to take it back. He didn't do that. He knew he didn't. Which meant that Mew…

Lycanroc didn't flinch. But its expression did sour.

 **Childish.**

" **If you want a fight, mother, I will oblige. I have strength enough to shut you up."** Mew's words flew from his mouth before Ash could stop them. He certainly didn't feel as ready for a fight. After all, it was his body that she'd be using.

 **And little more. Save your energy. You'll need it to help the human.**

The lycanroc nodded towards the hand that Ash still cradled. He had been burned but in the low light, he couldn't tell how bad. He just felt the tightness in his skin and the sharp pain that radiated from his palm. It was worse than usual, that was for sure. Mew had put a lot of force behind that strike.

 **You see, Ash? She's given you such a lovely future, hasn't she?** **One full of power and pain. Are you even still a man or did she make you a monster?**

" **I said enough!"**

Mew had thrown all her power into Ash's good hand. But Ash thanked his lucky stars that she decided just to hold it. She had already made her point and the lycanroc was tactfully deciding to retreat.

It turned back for just a moment. Just long enough to toss out a few more barbed words.

 **Something for the human to consider. Once it comes time to choose sides, I want it to think about what I said.**

" **There will be no sides, mother. I will stop you!"**

 **No, dear. You're dead…**

The lycanroc took on an expression of genuine sorrow once more before slipping into a more comfortable shade of rage.

 **And that's why I will avenge you.**

And with that the pokemon slipped away. The inky edges of Ash's vision faded into the rain-drenched forest backdrop they had temporarily been stolen from.

Ash didn't waste any time. The instant Mew had surrendered her hold on him, Ash had rushed towards Starfish's fallen form. He slid through the mud, slipping to his knees before the downed pokemon. Ash cradled it tenderly in his arms, dripping of a mix of blood and mud, only just conscious of its harried breathing.

"Mew, we have to do something."

He felt Mew gently push his consciousness aside. She lowered the pokemon back to the ground and laid both of Ash's hands over its wounds. His burned hand still throbbed but the new power bleeding from him felt different from that of the energy blasts. It was soft and airy like a gentle spring mist. His fingers actually went numb. But it was working. Slowly the bleeding holes sealed and the jolteon's eyelids began to flutter.

Mew drew back Ash's hands and retreated inside leaving Ash with the sudden exhaustion of having used such a power. He could barely keep sitting up. But the sight of Starfish jumping up lightened the pokemon trainer's heart.

"Starfish, you're alive," Ash smiled weakly, rubbing away the tears left in his eyes.

" _Uh, yeah. I guess I am! Wow, if that isn't a surprise! What happened?"_

"Don't worry, the Pokémon's gone now. I chased it away," Ash said, ignoring Starfish's question.

" _You did?"_

"I have a… a Charizard." Words were becoming more of a struggle to get out. His vision was dancing before his eyes. Ash realized he probably was losing his fight to stay conscious.

" _Oh yeah. That would do it… Hey, are you okay, Ash-human? You don't look too good."_

"I'm just… a little-"

Ash fell heavily into the mud, asleep before he hit the ground.

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Sorry for the delay in this chapter. I actually had it finished but forgot to post it! So happy Thanksgiving update!

Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter. Thanks to: nonyms, AshKetchumForever, juaniu1994, RandomRamune, Shaveza, YumeTakato and thor94! Thanks to any anonymous reviews too! I appreciate any feedback. It makes me happy to hear from you all.

I am thinking of updating this story again soon to make up for the delay. But we'll see. My schedule is all screwed up now so check my main profile page for update schedule!

Love you all! Stay tuned for next time, when Ash and crew reunites.


	8. Everything Ash Knows

**Last Time On Hia:  
** Questionable Confessions, meeting a new pokemon friend, legendary danger, an angry mother, and desperate healing.  
Quote: **If you want to die, then feel free to get in my way.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight:** Everything Ash Knows

How can someone stand so damn close  
And feel like they're worlds away?  
-Lady Antebellum

 **T** hey set off earlier in the morning than planned. The late-night thunderstorm had made of all them nervous; not for their own sake but for the ones they had sent off the night before. Misty especially couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

She didn't need to speak to pokemon to be able to tell that Pikachu shared her feelings. Once they were all packed and heading up the same path the others had taken, Pikachu couldn't stay perched on her shoulder. He darted ahead, bouncing in place when she fell too far behind, as if to encourage her to pick up the pace. He really didn't need to. The only reason she wasn't running alongside the anxious pokemon was the needling thought that she shouldn't separate herself from the others. Usually, when it came to Ash, they often dealt with forces that were beyond their understanding. She and her pokemon wouldn't be much more than cannon fodder if she charged ahead. And what use would she be to Ash then?

Misty was trying to be smart for his sake. One of them had to be.

"Misty, slow down a little," Gary wheezed as he struggled to match her quick strides. In his defense, he labored under a heavier load than the others. He volunteered to carry most of the camping equipment, reassuring everyone that he could handle it. Brock had always made it look so easy when they were kids. But Misty suspected it was probably quite some time since Gary did hiking, camping or any outdoor activity for that matter. Even when he was on his pokemon journey, he had his older sister to drive him around.

Misty slowed a little but not much. "Pikachu's on edge." She noted, pointing out the pokemon that was still ahead of the group.

"Pikachu's been on edge since Ash left."

"And what does that tell you?" Misty rounded on the beleaguered trainer. "We should have never separated."

"It was the best way to throw off any followers."

"You know, I don't think that's it. I think you're scared."

"Scared? What?" Gary laughed, but it didn't quite meet his eyes.

"Those pokemon that chased us in the woods. Whatever they were, were clearly after Ash. Why in the world would you let him go off on his own after that?"

"He's not alone! Team Rocket is-"

"Come on, Gary. I know you. I know when you are lying… You're terrible at it."

"You think I would send my best friend out alone on purpose? Really, Misty? What kind of monster do you take me for?"

Misty stared hard at Gary for a moment before answering. She wasn't trying to glare, just thinking. But Gary shied from her look at the same. At long last, she answered, "Not a monster. Just logical. I think you were trying to protect as many of us as you could…" Misty paused, rubbing her arm idly. "Which is why I didn't argue with you."

Gary was silent for a moment, staring with sudden interest at his own feet. His scuffed up dress shoes were really not meant for what he was putting them through. When he lifted his head, he still avoided meeting Misty's eye. "If those pokemon came back… I thought it would be better for everyone if we…" He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. As if he were carrying more than just the load she could see on his shoulders. "Team Rocket has a knack of avoiding trouble. They'd get themselves out of there if they needed to. And Ash, I think he can handle himself better than any of us could."

"Pikachu should have stayed with him."

"I thought that too... at first. But Pikachu is probably our best chance of finding him if we got separated. That pokemon is relentless. Besides, Starfish will do the job right."

"I hope you're right," said Misty, resuming her quickened pace and easily outpacing her companion. Since their conversation was done, Gary let her; falling uneasily behind.

Giovanni wasn't walking with any more gusto than Gary. He stayed several paces behind the newly anointed blonde, keeping to himself as much as possible. He'd probably have escaped her notice completely if not for the yowling Meowth marching at his side.

"I didn't sign up fer all dis walking," Meowth whined from somewhere behind, still somehow able to make his voice carry far too well. "Why didn't anyone warn me before joining Team Twerps dat we'd have tah walk everywhere? My feet are gonna mutiny!"

"Not the best thing to admit in front of your boss," Giovanni responded cooly.

"Ah- I didn't mean it, I swear, boss. Just a little joke."

Meowth forced a laugh that no one really believed. Misty just tried to tune them out. At least Giovanni's retort silenced the whining pokemon for a little while.

She just tried to focus on the little pokemon slipping between the trees ahead like a fleeting shade. Even its yellow color couldn't keep it from darting in and out of view through the shadows. Misty wanted nothing more than to chase after it, full sprint. But the others acted as anchors, holding her back. If only she could drag them along behind her a bit quicker.

The bad feeling in her chest wasn't going away.

It only got worse when a second shade of yellow joined the first. Misty picked up her pace, jogging over to where Pikachu had paused. Dread had risen up so high in her throat that she was choking on it.

Misty had hoped she wouldn't find a jolteon with Pikachu. But of course, that's exactly what she discovered. And there could be little doubt of where the pokemon had come from. From a glance, she could tell by its crooked ears and slightly pushed-in snout that this was Gary's Starfish. It gibbered incoherently to Pikachu in a tongue that only pokemon and Ash could understand.

And because she couldn't understand it, she noticed other things. Like how Starfish could barely stay in place. As it urgently relayed its message to Pikachu, it spun in place. Clearly, it was eager to be gone. It didn't need to say more than a few strings of its name to encourage Pikachu to do the same. Almost as soon as Misty had caught up to them, the two were off again- sprinting up the path.

"Hey, wait!" Misty cried after them. They either didn't hear or chose not to as both couldn't even spare a glance back. Misty threw up her hands in exasperation.

"What's going on?" Someone called out from behind.

"Pikachu found Starfish. They both ran off," Misty called back, not really wanting to wait for the others to catch up. "I'm gonna keep going. It probably has something to do with Ash."

"Wait, Misty!"

And much like the pokemon before her, Misty pretended not to hear their calls as she sprinted off into the woods.

 _Like hell, I'm gonna wait,_ Misty thought as she ran. _Last time I waited, Ash got kidnapped. Not this time. Not if I can help it._

Nagging thoughts started up, warning her that she was running into something unprepared. She silenced them the best way she knew how. By ripping the nearest pokeball off her bracelet and maximizing it in her hand. The device warming up in her hand gave her a small bit of comfort. She always felt calmer with her partners close at hand.

Misty burst into the clearing just behind the other two pokemon, somehow able to keep up now that she wasn't waiting for the others. She had half expected to find Ash injured in a ditch somewhere or holed up in some godforsaken cave, staving off a new odd collection of monstrous pokemon. Neither of those situations would have been unfamiliar. But this, with Ash lying in the center of the very path they had already been taking, not moving…

Misty felt like her heart had just jammed itself up inside her throat.

His body laid facing away from her. And from the back, Misty couldn't tell if he was breathing.

She choked on the air that was suddenly too thick and heavy. The clearing was remarkably still, as if she wasn't the only one holding her breath.

She wasn't moving like she should have been. She should have been flying to his side. Misty quickly realized that she couldn't. She was afraid that if she stepped forward; if she walked towards whatever this was, she'd fall and never get up again. She had lost him so many times and in so many ways. But this way, this was one she had hoped to never see.

"Ash?" Misty choked out, hopeful for an answer she wasn't sure she'd get.

After a long panic-filled silence, there came the smallest of movements. Pikachu was at Ash's side like Misty should have been. He sniffed at his Master's hand and Ash's fingers instinctively flexed.

"Mmm," came a soft moan. The sound released her from her frozen spell. Misty dashed to Ash's side, urgently but gently pushing him over onto his back.

He was covered in mud, undoubtedly from fainting onto the rain-drenched soil. Misty pushed his damp hair back from his face, searching for bruises or cuts; anything that might indicate a head injury. While still dead weight in her arms, he slept blissfully through her inspection. He seemed remarkably uninjured as if only struck by a jigglypuff's song. It might have annoyed her if he weren't being so impossible to wake.

Misty did find one oddity. His right hand, from the wrist down, looked like it had gone a slight pink. Upon closer examination, Misty could feel the heat radiating off his skin. A sunburn but only on one hand? And it was odd that it was the bottom of his hand, his palm, that was burned and not the top. That stunk of pokemon involvement. Had Ash been fighting a fire type pokemon and somehow been injured? Misty could see Ash holding out his hands to encourage a pokemon to stop only to be struck by some fire attack. They should probably be grateful it was only his hand that was burned.

Misty had just started digging into her bag for some aloe gel when Ash moaned again. She placed her free hand on his forehead, hushing the waking man.

"Don't move, Ash. It's okay. You're safe." She kept repeating herself as if chanting a mantra. Perhaps if she said it enough, she could make it come true. She rubbed the cool aloe onto his injured hand bringing another groan to Ash's lips. This time his eyelids started to flutter too.

Pikachu sniffed again at Ash's arm. And then, with sparking cheeks, "Pikaaaaaaa..."

"Ah no! Pikachu wait- stop!" Misty cried, suddenly realizing what the pokemon was aiming to do. The little mouse pokemon immediately dropped its stance, blinking innocently up at Misty.

"Pikachu pi?"

"I know it looks like Ash is sleeping but- he uh, he doesn't need an electric shock. So let's just… put away the electricity for right now, okay?"

Pikachu looked a little put out. But to his credit, he obediently sat down next to Starfish. Both pokemon looked miffed that an electric solution was off the table. They stared worriedly over as Ash finally started to move his arms and legs.

Ash groaned again, dropping his good hand heavily against his forehead.

"Ash, Ash? Can you hear me?" Misty returned to his side, hastily dumping out her first aid kit from her pack just in case something else would be needed. She set it down next to Ash's fallen body but within easy reach. "How are you feeling?"

"Shhhhhhhhush," Ash whispered, pressing a finger to his lips. Misty stared down at Ash in amazement, as the boy cracked a smile. His eyes were still closed but he was, remarkably, holding back giggles. This wasn't exactly the model of a person recently found unconscious.

"Ash?"

"I'm sleeping," Ash mumbled back, barely able to contain his smile.

Misty heard the others' approach long before they had breached the clearing. She didn't bother answering their calls, knowing they'd stumble across them soon enough. Besides, Ash's alarming condition was doing a good job of consuming all her attention.

"Ash… are you okay? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm feeling fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine~!" said Ash, still grinning but still refusing to open his eyes or move from his reposed position. She tried to lift him up but he'd just flop over again with a laugh; still insisting that he needed to sleep and laughing away her concern.

Misty had the sudden thought that maybe this wasn't Ash. Before she could think better of the consequences, the thought slipped from her lips.

"Mew?"

This, like nothing else, got a reaction. Ash's eyes sprang open but they were a clear shade of brown.

With sudden sobriety that he hadn't shown until now, Ash met Misty's eyes. He held her gaze long enough that Misty thought for sure, the gig was up. She felt her face going hot with shame.

"I'm sorry, Ash. I should have-"

Before Misty could finish her thought, Ash burst into a fit of giggles. He almost fell over again if not for Misty catching him by the arm.

"You sounded just like a pokemon!" Ash cackled.

He couldn't stand without Misty's help. And even so, he was as floppy as a noodle. She couldn't stop him from swaying and laughing all the while.

"Everything hurts!" Ash cried out between gasping laughter. "Did I get hit by a truck?"

"Iunno, Ash. I was kinda hoping you'd tell me," Misty tried not to roll her eyes but it was hard. If she didn't know any better, Misty might have thought Ash had a bit too much to drink. She had to fight to stay upright with Ash's weight swaying against her. She had his arm draped around her neck like a windblown scarf that kept threatening to fly away.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Mist. I'm really _really_ crooked right now," Ash continued still not really helping with staying upright. It was then, as the two only managed two tipsy steps forward, that the others rushed into the clearing. Ash greeted them with an enthusiastic wave that nearly toppled the two of them over again. "Oh hey guys! How are you doing?"

"Ash?" Gary gasped out. He was breathing hard and Misty could see the pokeball that he reattached to his belt. Clearly, he wasn't as unworried as he pretended to be with her.

"Gary, can you give me a hand here?" Misty called out from under Ash's arm.

Gary stumbled over himself to comply. Both Giovanni and Meowth, who had burst into the clearing with as much gusto as the teenager, were struck as dumb as Gary had been. They had claws out and pokeballs drawn but came across the opposite of what they had been anticipating. Ash's cheery albeit drunken greetings weren't helping the confusion.

With Gary, Ash's dead weight was much more manageable. Even when Ash unhelpfully leaned fully against his friend to give him a sloppy hug.

"We're a friend sandwich!" He cawed.

"What is wrong with him?" cried out an understandably alarmed Gary. He was only just able to bat Ash off without knocking the young man over again.

"I don't know. I found him this way."

"I think I hit my head, man!"

"Was that all that you hit?" replied Gary incredulously. Ash only cackled in response.

Without Ash's weight on her shoulders, Misty was able to take a moment to dust herself off and reevaluate their situation. She considered their options and then draped Ash's other arm over her neck and shoulder again. "Let's get him to the others. Maybe he can walk whatever this is off."

As Giovanni rushed to pick up anything they had left behind in the clearing, mainly Misty's pack and first aid supplies, Meowth had fallen back. Misty noticed how the pokemon sidled up to the other two electric pokemon. They urgently relayed information to the cat that brought understanding to his feline face. He nodded and made soothing gestures for the other two as if to reassure them that everything would be fine.

Well, at least she knew who to interrogate later.

It took a lot not to yank the pokemon aside right now. But Ash still demanded her attention and even in this state, Misty didn't think he'd tolerate help from his father. She'd just have to jot down the mental note and set it aside for later. Misty had been doing nothing but growing her patience lately.

The trip forward wasn't easy. Ash made sure of that. In his loopy state, he practically had them walking in zig zags across the path. But it did seem as if his hysterics had settled into a quiet amusement. He still wasn't in any fit state to walk on his own but he sobered enough to keep his thoughts to himself. A good sign, Misty liked to think.

Then they came across a somewhat frantic Jessie and James. Upon losing track of Ash, the couple had back trekked up and down the path many times. Both were frazzled with anxiety and a lack of sleep. They, mostly Jessie, claimed it wasn't because they were afraid for Ash. But rather, because they were worried what the others might do to them for having lost him.

The big question of "What happened?" they couldn't answer any better than Ash could. He was there until, suddenly, he wasn't.

When pressed, Ash remained just as cryptic. He just shrugged and said, "I wasn't meant to be found."

After rejoining with Jessie and James, the group collectively agreed that splitting up was no longer an option. If Ash were to threaten a disappearing act again the team needed to be together to circle the wagons. The whole lot of it, Jessie and James not being able to find him despite being only a few yards up the path and Ash's suddenly loopy state screamed psychic interference. They couldn't take any chances if Mewtwo knew they were coming.

Misty remembered the dead pidgey in the woods and how Mew calmly spoke of something else. Mew, as far as Misty knew, is a legendary sort of pokemon. Powerful and ancient, she'd judge it would take quite a bit to spook a pokemon of its kind. It wasn't scared of Mewtwo. But that "something else", the thing that Mew was afraid to even speak the name of, that _was_ something else.

" _ **To speak her name would be to summon her. We already had enough of her today and I'm not sure how well we'd fair in a second round."**_

She couldn't be sure; especially since Ash was standing and appeared fairly uninjured. She only had the feeling that it wasn't Mewtwo. The thought made the hairs on her arms and neck rise so she chased it away as quick as she could.

"Almost there!" Gary called out suddenly from Ash's other side. His eyes were on the crest of the hill ahead. Misty started walking faster, eager to get Ash's added weight off her shoulders as soon as possible. They hadn't been walking for long but the path was slick with mud and Ash made every step heavy and unsteady. They made it to the top of the hill and then down the other side, into the train yard.

The chain link fence had already been bent to permit entrance. They clearly weren't the first to travel across the gravel, dust and rails. Jessie and James seemed particularly familiar, leading the way as comfortably as if leading a house tour.

Misty knew this was the part of the plan that Team Rocket had provided information for. It shouldn't have been that surprising that those three resorted to a little bit of train hopping from time to time and yet, Misty was surprised. Seeing them in a life where they didn't have their telltale hot air balloon was jarring. Like running into a former teacher at a grocery store. Just plain weird.

They had only just ducked through the fence when the shrill sound of a whistle sounded from around the bend. Perfect timing. Jessie and James ushered them all to hide behind the abandoned containers and boxes left scattered on the less used portion of the rails.

Gary took full ownership of Ash now. He carried Ash piggyback, lucky that the other young man's smaller stature didn't break his back. It clearly wasn't easy for him but he shooed off help. Ash thankfully remained compliant and quiet, but still just as floppy and useless as ever. Gary strained under Ash's weight silently, his face pink and wet with sweat.

As soon as the train engine cleared the rails ahead of them, James gave a whistle and a wave. The group surged forward, dashing towards the train cars that were rolling by. One by one, they each made a leap for the train. The Team Rocket Trio led the way, picking the car and yanking the doors open to permit easier entry for the others. Misty went next, jumping into James' waiting arms. She laughed in surprise, pleased with how easy it ended up being. Jumping into a moving train was definitely not on her bucket list but now she could check it off.

Giovanni needed help being pulled inside, which Misty begrudgingly assisted. And Gary went last. He had been running alongside the train with Ash dragging behind his back, waiting for his turn. Jessie and James pulled Ash in first, giving Gary the opportunity to climb in after.

Gary immediately collapsed, heaving and hawing as a sweat soaked mess in the corner. Misty generously rewarded him with her water canteen and a small peck on the cheek. Gary returned the gesture with a smile and eagerly downed the lukewarm water.

She hadn't thought she was being watched. But when she looked back at the others, Misty found Ash's eyes locked on them both. She didn't much like the look she found there. It was a far more sober expression than he had on for a while. More like himself but in an unwelcome way.

"I'm going to sleep," Ash loudly announced to no one.

There wasn't really a comfortable place to curl up amongst all the crates but Ash seemed determined to do so. With Pikachu's help, he picked a corner of the rattling train car that didn't rattle as much as the other parts did. Then he curled up and rolled towards the wall. Misty had no reason to doubt that he hadn't done just what he said he would.

The others didn't pay much attention. They huddled around unfolded and rumbled maps, talking about the next steps. Gary eventually joined them, giving his two cents. Ash's condition, while alarming, didn't change their plans. They still needed to head to the mountains. They still needed to get to Mewtwo first.

"Are we going to take turns carrying Ash up the mountain?" Misty snapped, annoyed by their callousness.

"Hopefully he'll sleep whatever this is off," said Gary, gently patting her shoulder. "We have to assume that he will. We don't have time to stop. If we wait too long, the mountains will be impossible to climb. We're already cutting it dangerously close to the winter season. They tend to urge pokemon trainers away at this time of year."

"Have you ever been to the Algersa region before?"

"Once. But I was just passing through." Gary's attention was drawn back in by the maps. Misty took it as an opportunity to pull back from the others. Meowth remained encircled by his team members; safe for now. She glared his way, vowing that as soon as an opening presented itself she'd get that cat to sing. It knew way more than what it was letting on.

Jessie had left the railcar door open a crack. She said it was important to keep some airflow going through the car. Misty stationed herself by the opening, taking off her hat so that she could feel the wind rustle her hair. She could see a bit of the landscape rumbling by, mostly trees. She was getting sick of trees.

Misty gave a start when she felt something rub against her arm. She turned, surprised to see Starfish there. He blinked up at her and then rubbed his head against her arm again.

"Hey sweetheart," Misty smiled, scratching the pokemon behind the ears. "Thanks for taking care of Ash for us."

The pokemon slow blinked at her. And Misty got the oddest feeling that it was trying to tell her something. She moved her hand to scratch him under the chin.

"You know what happened, don't you?"

Starfish nodded.

"Was Ash in trouble?"

Another nod.

"Did you protect him?"

This time, the Jolteon sadly shook his head. They both glanced over to where Ash laid. He still was facing the wall, betraying no movement. Misty frowned and looked back to Starfish.

"If you didn't protect him, who did?"

Starfish cooed and tossed its head in Ash's direction.

Misty stared hard at Ash's back.

"Oh. I see."

* * *

 **T** he boxcar that they had commandeered for their own purposes rattled incessantly. It smelt like a used litter box and even with the door cracked open, there was no escaping the smell. Misty knew she had taken the best spot for herself: the one place with a fresh breeze. Despite it getting a bit chilly, Misty still didn't want to relinquish her position. She squared her shoulders; determined to grin and bear it. After all, the breeze served a secondary purpose. It kept her awake.

While everyone else in the boxcar began to settle down for the long uneventful hours of travel ahead, it was only inevitable that many would fall asleep. There wasn't much else to do otherwise. And only Giovanni seemed to have the sense to pack a novel.

He was the most infuriating to wait out as the paperback seemed to entertain him well enough to keep sleep away. He'd leaf through the pages, only glancing up when he'd catch her gaze on him.

She didn't even know how he had enough light to read by. The sunlight that filtered through the cracked door was minimal at best. And yet, he carried on, infuriatingly.

But eventually, even he grew tired. At long last, Giovanni set aside his novel and closed his eyes. Misty didn't dare move until she was certain his breathing had gone deep.

Misty stood up. She carefully used the swaying of the moving train to time her steps. She grabbed the nearby boxes for support so that she didn't accidentally trod or brush into any of the other sleeping passengers. Ash had chosen a spot the farthest possible from the door. He had inadvertently made a verifiable obstacle course between them. But Misty was a sensational sister. Even outside the water, she had some grace. She managed, a step here, a gentle jump there. While difficult, she didn't wake anyone. Not even the Pikachu that was sleeping soundly in his master's arms.

Misty knelt down before Ash's curled form. What came next was just a hunch of hers. She didn't exactly have a plan if it didn't work.

She took a deep breath to steady herself and whispered, "Mew. I need to talk to you. Wake up."

For a long moment, Misty couldn't tell if anything was happening. Ash still seemed just as deep in sleep as he had been while she wandered over. But then, he moved his arms. Slowly, Ash laid Pikachu on the floor of the boxcar and pulled himself up into a sitting position. And the eyes that met her own were a reassuring ice blue.

Misty released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "Hello Mew."

" **Hello Misty,"** Ash's eyes drifted a bit over her shoulder. **"Hello Giovanni."**

Misty stiffened. She whipped around to see none other than the Team Rocket leader standing in shadow. He stepped forward shamelessly, taking a seat on a crate not far behind the blonde.

"I thought you were asleep," Misty demanded.

Giovanni shrugged. "I could tell you wanted me to. You have all the subtlety of my son."

Before Misty could retort, Mew had captured her attention again; softly clearly Ash's throat. **"It's fine. You are both aware of my existence. No surprises here."**

"He knew about you?"

Mew nodded Ash's head. But it was Giovanni who answered, rather sulkily, "They press-ganged me into telling them where Mewtwo was. I told you that Ash threatened me… I just left out how."

"How good of you."

" **I'm guessing you both want to know what happened to Ash."** That got their attention back. Both humans stared down Ash earnestly. Mew brought a reassuring smile to Ash's lips. **"Don't worry. I've been expecting this. Ask away."**

"I don't just want to learn about what happened last night," Misty snapped. "I want everything."

 **"Everything?"**

"Yes. Who you are. How you got inside Ash. Why are you leading Ash to Mewtwo. Everything."

Mew dropped the smile. **"I can see why he likes you."**

Misty's cheeks went hot. "What?"  
 **  
"You are frustratingly similar."** Mew shrugged, ignoring Misty's startled reaction. Although she had little doubt that it knew exactly what effect its words had on her. **"I… can't do everything. I haven't even told Ash everything."**

"Then tell us what Ash knows," Giovanni cut in before Misty had to.

Mew stared long and hard at them both. Then it nodded. "Very well. Everything Ash knows."

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Hey everyone. Happy holidays! I hope you enjoy this early update. I've been able to get in some writing over the winter break so I'm trying to get as many chapters out as I can. Consider it my holiday gifts to you all, my loyal readers.

Special thanks to those who reviewed last time, Dr MAD and Co, Eimi, AshKetchumForvever, juaniu1994, Shaveza, RandomRamune, YumeTakato, ana, and Guest. May you all enjoy the new chapter as much as the previous.

Next time on HIA, Ash and Company reach the mountains where Mewtwo hides at last. See you next time!


	9. The Mountains

**Last Time On Hia:  
** Worries, unpleasant discoveries, carrying friends, hitching rides on trains, and secrets blown wide open.  
Quote:"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Mist. I'm really _really_ crooked right now…"

* * *

 **Chapter Nine:** The Mountains

Oh, let me face, let me face, let me face my fears  
Won't be long, won't be long, I'm almost here  
-Utada Hikaru

 **W** hen Ash finally opened his eyes that evening, he felt like he was resurfacing from under miles of water, somewhere unfathomably deep. He could remember scraps from the previous day. And he laid for a while long examining them, those scraps of memories, as he stared at the walls of the boxcar. Somehow, Ash assembled a semi-coherent storyline of the previous day's events. At least he understood how he came to be inside a train car rejoined by all his friends and Pikachu.

Ash stroked the sleeping pokemon at his side causing the little mouse to stir. Pikachu blinked rapidly before focusing his sleepy eyes on his trainer.

"Pikapi?"

"Morning buddy." Then after a pause and a half-hearted glance at the low light peeking from the far cracked door, "Or evening… I guess."

" _Are you back to normal?"_

"Normal?" Ash gave a start. But then something floated back. Did he need to be carried? Yeah, Ash thought he might have remembered that. "Ah, yeah. I guess I'm normal again."

Pikachu was back on his feet, a predictable scowl on his face. _"Why did you risk healing Starfish? You had no idea what you were doing."_

"He needed help, buddy. I couldn't just let him die… He tried so hard to protect me. It was my fault he was hurt."

Although both of them knew that Ash would have helped the jolteon even if it wasn't his fault. His good nature didn't come with any requirement of obligation.

Then a sudden thought struck Ash. "Wait… how did you know about that?"

The events before he passed out were crystal clear in his memory. Clear enough to still give him goosebumps. Ash _knew_ that Pikachu hadn't been around for what had transpired between himself, Mew and her mother.

Pikachu frowned and then began grooming his paws and face. Even before he could understand his pokemon's speech, Ash knew this was Pikachu's way of avoiding unwelcome questions. It worked better before they could understand the same tongue.

"Pikachu… don't-"

"You're awake!"

Ash looked up at who had just happened to be making his way past. Gary stopped, still holding onto the nearby crates to keep from falling over. The tracks were incredibly rough. Even from his sitting position, Ash felt himself being rocked back and forth. Gary was looking Ash up and down, taking a special interest in his face. Probably searching for that same vacant expression from the day before. But he didn't say anything. Ash supposed he was trying to be polite, even if he couldn't manage to be discreet.

"Ugh, this is worse than the food wagon," Gary grumbled as another violent rocking nearly knocked him over.

"How would you know? You didn't ride in the back with us," snapped Ash automatically.

Gary sunk down to his knees. "Oh thank goodness. You really _are_ back."

Ash had an inkling about what had happened. It was similar to what had happened when he had used Mew's powers in the past. Using Mew's abilities for acts of violence would leave the marks on his own body. It was a consequence of using something he couldn't control. Apparently, Mew's healing powers had a similar consequence.

Healing had filled him with such a positive feeling. It was overwhelming, intoxicating. A feeling of absolute peace. He wanted nothing more than to surrender to it. But it was also a completely unacceptable waste of time where he didn't have much to spare. Ash could not rely on this power again unless absolutely necessary.

The memories that Ash could work out didn't exactly show him acting on his best behavior. He looked away, finding it a bit hard to meet his friend in the eye.

"Ash, what happened to you?" came Gary's earnest question. Ash knew it was coming but still had no answer for it.

"You ran into those pokemon again, didn't you?"

Ash whirled about, surprised to see not only Misty but all their traveling companions. They had all taken up comfortable places nearby as if coming to watch a play. Ash felt a bit like he was being set up.

He thought about lying. But couldn't see the benefit of doing so, other than avoiding a hard conversation. They were going to need to know exactly what they were getting into. Ash didn't want any of them to be volunteering for something they only half understood.

"Um… yes."

"Is this a Chosen One thing then. Are we getting sucked into another one of those prophecies?"

Despite the lilt to her voice, Jessie looked pale. She was leaning rather heavily into James and pretending like she wasn't desperate for his answer. Ash could see how she was wringing her hands, knotting them into her dusty t-shirt.

"And if we were?"

There was a silence where the two humans of the Team Rocket trio exchanged anxious glances. But it was James who answered, "No offense, Ash. But your prophecies don't always work out so well for the rest of us."

"I refuse to be collateral damage again," agreed Jessie.

"Again?" Both Misty and Gary chorused curiously. Neither Team Rocket nor Ash answered them. Instead, Ash quickly changed the subject.

"It's not a prophecy. Not as far as I know. It may be Chosen One related." Ash held up a hand to quell the protest that was already coming to Jessie's lips. "And it is only related to me. That's why they came after me alone. So long as you all don't interfere, you should be fine."

This didn't exactly relax the group. If anything they seemed tenser than ever. Ash sucked in a breath and let it out again. He didn't want to have this conversation so soon. But the peaceful calm of Mew's powers would surely dissipate. He should try to get it over with while he still felt a little brave.

"It's a pokemon. One pokemon that can control other pokemon. And it is… _incredibly_ powerful."

"And it hates you?" Gary offered.

Ash shrugged. "Kinda. But honestly, I think it kinda hates everyone."

"How comforting," said Misty. Ash cracked a smile but continued as if he didn't hear.

"I need Mewtwo's help to defeat this pokemon. Without its help, I'm afraid this pokemon… will hurt a lot of people. It's angry. It's angry at all humans."

"Why? What did we do?" exclaimed Gary. He swung out his arm, gesturing over to Giovanni before glaring the former Team Rocket leader down. "Did someone capture it? Did you lock it up somewhere? Trap it in a suit of armor?"

"Hey," Giovanni grumbled.

"Well, maybe don't do that anymore."

"I didn't."

" _This_ time."

"White Ice did it," Ash interrupted. "Not that I don't think Giovanni isn't partially responsible for giving them the idea… But in this case, White Ice started it. And it wasn't- I mean, they didn't capture this pokemon. I'm not even sure it can be captured. They killed its… baby."

It felt like a heavy curtain had just fallen over their party. No one knew where to look or how to feel about this information. They were all thinking of some innocent little hatchling that had its life cruelly snuffed out. Ash didn't bother to elaborate. He didn't want to complicate things with the full truth.

"So then this pokemon... is the cause of the wild pokemon attacks?" Misty said, at last, breaking the painful silence.

Ash met her eyes. And for a moment, Ash had the strangest feeling that Misty understood everything even better than he thought. Like she already knew the answer to that question. Like she was leading the others towards the truth with questions she didn't need to ask.

But then the moment passed, Misty looked away and Ash felt he must have imagined it.

"Uh, yeah. I think so. At least that's my guess, so far."

"Why does it want you though?" Gary suddenly gasped, struck by a sudden thought. "Does it think _you_ killed its baby?"

Ash considered the question for a moment. It seemed as good an explanation as any. But before he could answer, Ash felt Misty's stare on him again. It was a little too knowing, a little too penetrating. It momentarily took the answer from his tongue.

"Ah… I- I… uh, yes. That is, I think so." It was hard to focus on his answer. It was hard to lie with her staring at him like that. "Because… because I was… I was with White Ice then, yes. Yes, that must be it."

Ash spat out the lie as quickly as he could; as if to disentangle himself from it. The lie didn't make him feel uncomfortable, not really. It was necessary to placate the others. They needed an explanation for this pokemon's interest and they weren't prepared for the truth.

No, he didn't mind lying. What was itching at him was the feeling that Misty _knew_. Her look dared him to make up excuses and lies because she could see through every single one. It was prickly, that stare. It stuck to him a little too well.

 _But how? How could she know?_

"Great. No prophesies but apparently we have an all-powerful pokemon chasing us for murdering its offspring. Is that all?" said Jessie, sinking to the floor dejectedly. "I'm so glad we volunteered for this."

"Nothing Team Twerp can't handle," Meowth chirped.

"Speak for yourself."

"Don't worry, Jessie. Yah'll see. Ash will talk to dis pokemon and get it all sorted out. He's always been good at dat sort of ding."

Ash shot the pokemon a look but it was already too late. The cat was out of the bag. Jessie unhelpfully tried to cover Meowth's big mouth but it meant little after the fact.

"Talk to pokemon?" Gary repeated, the words not quite sinking in yet. Jessie's reaction cemented the meaning of the words. There could be little doubt. "Ash can- you can talk to pokemon?!"

And yet, Gary seemed to be the only one surprised. Ash cast a suspicious look Misty's way but again, she quickly looked away.

 _She knew this too? How?_

"Yes. I can talk to pokemon. Or at least, I can understand them."

"All of them?"

"I think so," Ash scratched his head absentmindedly. "I haven't really tested it out that much."

If Gary's mouth dropped any further it would be dragging on the ground. Ash had a feeling his old lie of learning it while in White Ice custody wouldn't really work here. This wasn't just one pokemon language. This was all of them. Not even Professor Oak could profess to that sort of knowledge. That wasn't something someone just inadvertently picked up while in custody. You couldn't learn something like that without magic. Hell, it _was_ magic, of a certain sort.

"How in the world-"

"Chosen one stuff," Ash interrupted curtly, climbing shakily to his feet. "I needed it. They gave it to me. So I'm using it."

They left the conversation at that. Ash walked away to keep it from starting up again. His companions got the message and didn't try to pelt him with any more questions. Gary immediately let Ash in on their next steps. It seemed that the most challenging leg of their journey was due to start. After all, only Ash had any experience in mountain climbing and he would not by any means consider himself an expert. He tried to give input where he could but what they were attempting here was above even his head. He could only hope that they could manage some miracle and find Mewtwo without running into any early winter storms.

The evening passed easily enough. They ate what was left of their stale rations, talked about nothing in particular and played with a deck of cards that Team Rocket had smuggled along. As the night grew darker, the air inside the boxcar grew more frigid. The group resorted to pulling out their winter gear early; stuffing themselves into the padded jackets and snow pants to keep from freezing.

Gary walked around passing some hand warmers that he had the foresight to pick up at their last rest stop. A younger Ash would have been too prideful to accept such a gift from his rival. Especially since Gary was in a relationship with his closest friend, without bothering to tell him about it. But it _was_ cold and Ash knew a tough act would impress no one. With there being plenty to spare, Ash figured he'd be better off not losing fingers to frostbite. He accepted the small bag and shoved it down one of his gloves, enjoying the warmth spreading out from his palm.

"We are coming up on our stop," Gary said softly, stowing what little remained in his things.

"Brightinting Town?"

"Slightly outside. We will need to disembark before the train reaches Brightinting station."

Ash frowned down at his now lumpy glove. "What do you mean before?"

"Ah, well…" Gary gave Ash a halfhearted pat on the shoulder. "You'll see soon enough."

He did and he wasn't too happy about it. But neither was anyone else.

Gary slammed open the railcar door, blasting the group with the cold mountain air. Flecks of snow shot past like icy bullets, pelting those who were too close to the slipstream. Upon Gary's instructions, the group had all lined up by the railcar door. The young man kept anxiously checking his watch, pacing before them. Before the doors were even opened, Ash had a sinking feeling inside. Where else could this possibly be leading?

"You cannot be serious," Jessie gasped, stepping back from the yawning opening. She instinctively grabbed onto James' sleeve as if fearing a fall already. Ash knew he probably mirrored her horror. The train was rattling along the curves of the mountain at a near breakneck speed. With the doors open, it was only more evident how fast they were going.

"We'll have to jump. Unless you'd like to find out how train workers deal with stowaways," Gary snapped. Despite his tone, Ash could tell he wasn't too keen about jumping out of a train either.

"We know. Might be better dan breaking our necks dough," said Meowth.

"The snow should break our fall."

" _Should_! 'Should' is so reassuring," snapped back Jessie.

Misty wasn't saying anything. Neither was Giovanni but Ash didn't much care about his feelings on the matter. It wasn't like he'd spill any tears over that broken neck.

He suspected she was scared. But they had done scarier things. Jumping off of Charizard's back onto a hot air balloon had been one of them. That one had been all her. She had to be brave for the two of them as Ash had been incapacitated at the time.

Ash caught up Misty's hand in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. Before she could recognize the gesture with a smile or word, Ash had stepped forward. He grabbed Gary's other hand before the young man could protest.

"We've got this," Ash said, willing confidence to fill all the frightened spaces inside. He sounded braver than he felt, which was exactly what he hoped. There were things that could go wrong. Things could always go wrong and often did, in his case. But the others didn't need to know all that. They needed the younger… stupider Ash. The one who always jumped first.

Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, digging his little paws in. Ash wished he could whisk his precious pokemon away into a pokeball as Gary did for his jolteon. But Pikachu wouldn't want it that way. He'd want to share in Ash's risk. Even if it was monumentally stupid. But Ash wasn't about to argue with a pokemon that was twice as stubborn as him.

"We'll go first. Team Rocket, you can follow after," called Ash over the roaring wind.

"Can't wait."

Ash could barely hear Jessie's sarcastic reply but it did bring an involuntary smile to his face.

The train was turning, their window to the outside world opening up into a sheet of white. It appeared to be open farms, fields abandoned for the winter. They wouldn't find a softer blanket to break their fall.

Ash squared himself for what was definitely going to be a rough landing. Gary started counting down for them but it was just a buzz in Ash's head. He held tight to his friends' hands, took one last deep breath, and at Gary's final shout, leaped out into the open air.

They were immediately swallowed up. Ash felt himself being ripped free from the others, tumbling in what he had hoped would be soft recent snowfall. It was rougher than they anticipated. Ash lost one of his gloves, leaving his hand exposed to the snow that scraped and bit at him with every somersault.

After what felt like forever, Ash's body came to a stop. His brain still felt like it was rattling in his head. It took a long while before Ash could even think about getting up. He felt as if he had bruised every bit of his body. But he was alive; wet, sore and cold but breathing. Ash puffed out another misted breath before dragging himself to his feet.

He spotted the others not far away. Each of them looking like bedraggled pieces of luggage someone had just tossed from the train. Which Ash supposed they were. They all struggled back up, looking around with dazed unfocused expressions.

Ash counted them off, each lump in the snow matching up with a person from their party. All except for one.

"Pikachu? Pikachu, where are you?"

"Pikapi," came a muffled reply over Ash's shoulder.

Ash whirled frantically about. The snow was knee-deep and wasn't that easy to maneuver through. But his tumble from the train had made some sizable trenches that Ash could manage through somehow. He found Pikachu just feet away; a pair of yellow ears and lightning bolt tail poking up out of the snowdrift. Pikachu's tail was twitching with agitation. Ash was careful to compose himself and wipe the smile from his face before extracting the angry pokemon. Pikachu came up as easily as a turnip, coughing up snow. His fur practically danced with agitated sparks of electricity. It was a low enough voltage that it only numbed Ash's already numb hand.

"You okay, buddy?" Ash asked, hugging the shivering and wet animal in his open jacket. Pikachu's little static hiccups immediately stopped when pressed to Ash's warm chest. He snuggled in deeper and gave a grumpy affirmative.

"Don't worry. We won't be doing that again anytime soon."

" _Please don't jinx us,"_ Pikachu moaned from inside his jacket.

The party regrouped closer to the tracks where the snow was only ankle deep. They were still in the dark of early morning but Gary reassured them that Brightinting town was only a few miles ahead. If he had timed it as well as he had hoped, they would be only just outside. Although it was hard to make proper calculations from inside a boxcar with very few landmark clues.

As they walked, Ash felt unusual. His chest felt tight as if bound with invisible tape; keeping him from a full breath. At first, he just chalked it up to being from his perilous jump. He must have bruised a rib, nothing new for a world-weary pokemon trainer. But as they trudged alongside the tracks, struggling to keep their boots above the deep snow, the feeling grew.

As they crested the final hill before Brightinting, Ash realized what it was. He paused, staring down at the small snow-covered town ahead of them. Their lights blinked welcomingly up at the party as a collection of chimneys puffed pleasant memories of warmth their way. The sight of the town should have been reassuringly familiar. Ash had passed through it once, during a young summer. Back then, he had no idea what the mountains were hiding. They were simply an obstacle between him and the next badge.

When Misty had come up alongside him, Ash couldn't help but grabbing her by the hand. Misty was startled but then she looked at him. His face was white and he had started hugging Pikachu a little too tightly. Pikachu twisted and writhed about in Ash's arms, trying to squirm free. But his arms remained locked and frozen.

"Ash?" Misty lowered her voice. She leaned in closer to the panicking man, hoping to keep from drawing the others' attention. "Ash, what's wrong?"

"I'm scared." It was hard to say. Ash had to practically spit it out through clenched teeth. But it didn't have any magic effect once spoken. But then Misty touched his arm. He couldn't feel it through the layers he had on but the gentle gesture wasn't lost on him.

"Hey, me too," Misty whispered. "It's okay to be scared."

Ash closed his eyes and released his tight grip on Pikachu. The pokemon, once freed, immediately climbed back up onto his familiar shoulder perch. He had some choice words for Ash but wisely chose to swallow them.

"Every step I take brings me closer. I've been chasing the answers so long. I don't… I don't know if I can do it."

Ash opened his eyes and looked back up at the mountains. They loomed claustrophobically close. Ash never noticed that the last time he was here.

Misty smiled and pulled him closer. Without warning, she lifted their clasped hands and planted a warm kiss to Ash's frozen knuckles. "We've got this. Remember?"

Ash's blush warmed his frozen cheeks. "Right," He nodded.

He didn't feel any less scared. But with Misty's hand in his own, it was a little easier to breathe.

* * *

 **T** hey made it into town at dawn's break. The group scattered as soon as their boots hit the cobblestone paths. While not complaining much on the trek into town, the Team Rocket trio seemed almost frozen through. They were desperate for a warm cup of anything to bring feeling back into their extremities. Giovanni had rolled his ankle somewhere between Brightinting and the train. While he claimed to be unscathed from the jump, Gary had been the first to notice the older man's limping. Jessie and James were only too happy to help their former boss into the nearest tavern.

With Team Rocket safely deposited for the time being, that left the others free to explore the sleepy village. There was no pokemon center in Brightinting and very little league presence. Most inhabitants didn't even have television. Gary was confident that they'd be comfortably left alone as they restocked supplies and took a well-deserved rest.

Ash didn't feel like going inside. There was something pleasing about walking through the empty streets so early. The snow swallowed up the sound, amplifying every footstep. It was a pleasing distraction from the anxiety he was trying to ignore.

Misty went to help Gary with resupplying, assured that Pikachu would be staying at Ash's side. Ash didn't want to keep her. In the past, he would have been only too eager for her comforting presence at his side. Gary made everything awkward between them. Ash didn't want her around if it meant they couldn't be normal with each other. It would just make his anxiety worse.

Ash and Pikachu wandered aimlessly through the streets. They eventually happened upon the train station. Their former train huffed and steamed from its stationary track. Ash supposed they must have already uncoupled the supply cars that their party had been stowing away in. Now it was the passengers' turn to disembark.

Ash leaned against a nearby storefront, its frosted windows still black, to watch. The passengers filed out shivering into the cold mountain air. Most were dressed to brace against the cold. A few children came out blinking and crying, grumpy at being awake so early.

And then he saw them. A sight that turned his insides to ice. The familiar white uniforms were unmistakable even at this distance. Ash flattened himself against the building, hoping he could blend into the snowy nothing around him. Slowly, he backed away back down the street. As soon as Ash felt he was out of ear and eyesight, he started running.

Pikachu couldn't hold on to Ash's shoulder through the sprint. But he didn't ask Ash to slow down. He leaped off and started running alongside the trainer. After all, they both had seen something that had chased away any plans of a leisurely mountain climb.

Ash practically collided into Gary as he and Misty exited a nearby store. Gary only just caught Ash, startled by the younger man's haggard appearance.

"Ash? Ash, what's the matter? Did something happen?"

"White Ice!" Ash gasped out. "They're here!"

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Surprise! Another chapter! Wanted to get another one out before my spring semester started.

Special thanks to those who reviewed my last chapter: Ana, Shavaza, AshKetchumForever, RandomRamune, Canoerider, and Juaniu1994. I'm starting something new by responding to a review at the end of the chapter that I found particularly interesting.

Today, I'd like to respond to RandomRamune who wrote about how much they liked the boxcar esthetic cause it reminded them of the boxcar children, a popular children series. Same! That was also one of my childhood book series. I especially loved the first book where they discovered the abandoned boxcar and made it into a house. That super shaped my childhood. :) I used to find stuff in the woods and try to build little houses with it. Got poison oak a few times because of it. Anyway, gives me pleasure to know that I channeled one of my childhood favorites.

Anyway, thank you RandomRamune! I hope you had a lovely holiday season. I hope you all had a lovely holiday season. Enjoy the new year with my first chapter of Here I Am now in 2020.

You guys can expect the next chapter in the March/April time frame or sooner. Next time on HIA, a race up the mountain begins! See you then!


	10. Run

**Last Time On Hia:  
** After a long train journey, our friends finally arrive at Brightinting. Little did they know, White Ice has followed them there.  
Quote:"No offense, Ash. But your prophecies don't always work out so well for the rest of us."

* * *

 **Chapter Ten:** Run

Running just as fast as we can, holding on to one another's hands  
Trying to get away into the night and then you put your arms around me  
And we tumble to the ground and then you say  
-Tiffany

 **A** sh bounced in place, wanting to be gone. But the others needed to be told. It was decided quickly, in the shadows of a covered doorway they had ducked down into. The snow was lightly floating around them, small shivery flakes joining the piles at their feet. It was cold but Ash couldn't feel it. One of them would need to get to the others and that person couldn't be Ash.

Giovanni was injured and would slow whoever he was with down. And Team Rocket would be unwilling to abandon their boss in some mountainside town. Especially since he would undoubtedly be captured on sight. They'd stay and defend them. Their loyalty was unquestioned which was odd, coming from a criminal organization.

Ash needed to leave immediately, heading straight for the peak. The thought of taking the peak alone was making his ears buzz. Ash boxed them lightly, knocking the sound back. Anything to fight off the rising panic.

This was the only way to ensure that they'd reach Mewtwo first. Ash just needed to accept it. Gary was splitting them up again.

But before Gary could say the words, Misty cut him off. She had Ash roughly by the arm, pulling him in close.

"I'm going with him."

"No. Absolutely not, Misty it's-"

Misty took off her baseball cap and yanked it on over Gary's head, pulling the brim down hard. He blinked stupidly back at her. Ash couldn't help but mirror him.

"You play decoy this time. Ash and I will go together."

Ash could feel the warmth of her body pressed against him, melting the ice-cold fear. He feared moving, sure that she'd step away and leave him mercy to it again.

"Then..." Gary looked reluctantly to the mouse clinging possessively to Ash's shoulder.

" _No!"_ Pikachu snapped.

Ash reached up, protectively bracing the pokemon on his shoulder. Pikachu still vigorously shook his head, glaring at the humans around him. He had dug his paws into Ash's jacket, determined to hold on if he had to.

Gary took a defensive posture, probably to keep from getting a thunderbolt to the face. But he wasn't backing down.

"Pikachu stands out the most. Especially being outside of a pokeball all the time. White Ice will be looking for him. He needs to go with someone else. It's only logical." Gary pleaded, trying to convince Pikachu while looking straight at Ash. He knew there was no way he'd get actual compliance from the loyal pokemon.

Ash stroked Pikachu slowly, feeling the agitated ruffles in his fur. He didn't want to say it out loud, but everything Gary was saying made sense… again. Pikachu didn't want them to be separated so soon after reuniting. Ash didn't much like it either.

But Pikachu must have sensed it in his loosened grip, that Ash was going to let go. Pikachu let out a low growl and dug his paws in deeper. Ash could feel his tiny digits gripping like several small vice clamps to his shoulder.

And then Misty lowered herself so that she was eye level with Pikachu. She had cupped the little pokemon's face gently in her hands.

"I'll take care of him, Pikachu. I promise you."

Her earnestness made Ash feel uncomfortable. People didn't usually talk directly to pokemon; not outside commands or baby talk. This was something Ash was slowly coming to realize with his abrupt lingual understanding of pokemon.

People didn't have one-sided conversations with their "pets" unless they were particularly lonely or pokemon trainers or both. And even so, most were like Gary. They were comfortable with talking _at_ their pokemon and comfortable with the status quo of their very partial understanding of each other.

Ash was like that. Before.

Misty wasn't. She never was. She spoke to them like people and never assumed what they were trying to say back. It was no wonder the pokemon always loved her.

Even now, Misty couldn't speak to Pikachu. But she spoke to him better than Ash could.

" _I'll go,"_ Pikachu grumbled, sagging into Misty's arms as she gently lifted him off Ash's shoulder. She gave him a few loving strokes before tenderly relinquishing him into Gary's waiting hands.

Ash, desperate to unlock his own tongue, spat out, "You keep them off us, okay Pikachu?"

Pikachu perked up at the request. A mission, a purpose; he could settle for that. If decoy he must be, a damned good decoy they'd get. _"Alright,"_ came Pikachu's reluctant reply. _"This isn't goodbye, though."_

"I know, buddy. See you soon."

" _Uh-huh. I'm holding you to that."_

They shared a small smile before Pikachu reluctantly settled onto Gary's shoulder. It was a more uncomfortable perch. The man's shoulders were broader, more boney. Pikachu just had to settle for hanging off him like a heavy sweater on a clothesline.

And clearly, Gary was just as uncomfortable with the new shoulder accessory. He tried to hide it but there was a definite tilt to his body and a lean to his head as he tried to place space between him and the living sparkplug on his shoulder.

Ash and Misty stepped out from under the eaves of the doorway, their feet sinking uncomfortably deep into the snow. Gary went over a last-minute supply check, making sure the pair were actually prepared to climb on their own. Misty answered for the both of them. Ash felt numb, wanting to stay and be gone at the same time.

"This isn't ideal," Gary concluded glumly. "I was hoping we could find a guide. None of us are experienced climbers. You guys could probably make it a week on those rations but none of us know how long it will take. What if you get lost?"

Ash felt compelled to speak. He hadn't wanted to, but the words slipped out before he could stop them. "We won't get lost."

The conviction in his words surprised even Misty. Ash could feel all their eyes on him and it made him regret saying anything.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Ash took a deep breath. He avoided all of their eyes as he quickly blurted out, " _IcanfeelwhereMewtwois_."

"You can _what_?"

"Ash, why didn't you mention this before?" Misty clung to his arm, urgently demanding his eyes. Ash still refused to give it to her.

"It's only been coming on since we jumped off the train. And… look, I don't have time to explain. I just know I can find him. I can feel it… here." He thumped his chest and upon meeting all their dumbstruck expressions, quickly looked back down again.

"It's a Chosen One thing. Got it," Gary nodded, trying to be helpful. It really only made Ash feel worse.

A bitter wind ripped between the clustered houses, whipping past the two that stood out in the open. They knew they couldn't dawdle around any longer. Misty's unnaturally blonde locks tossed in the wind. Ash numbly pushed his own snowy white hair from his eyes. Gary looked at the two of them sadly; trying to memorize their faces. Not as the disguises they had dawned but as the familiar friends he had always known.

Gary held out his hand to them. Both took it.

"Be safe. If you find Mewtwo, try not to engage until we can provide back up." Gary was looking straight at Ash. "You know what to do."

He did. But it gave him no pleasure. Ash still hadn't decided if he should use the purple pokeball or not yet. Now wasn't the time to argue semantics. So he just nodded. It's what Gary wanted. And the only way he'd trust them enough to let them go.

"See you soon."

And with that, Gary let them go.

He and Pikachu quickly peeked around the corner, before leaving the covered entrance and sneaking up the cobbled street. Misty didn't let Ash stay and watch. There were voices rising on the snow as the deepening morning woke up the sleepy village. Doors of nearby houses opened as villagers quickly rushed out to start their errands. Store signs twisted around from closed to open.

Misty urgently dragged Ash behind her, off the lightly shoveled paths and into the soft pillows of snow blanketing around the mountainside yards and gardens. It was much hard to push through here, off the beaten path, and Ash felt they were leaving a pretty obvious trail behind themselves. But they were away from the streetlights and early-bird shoppers.

They climbed over chicken wire fences, low garden walls and ducked around ill-kept sheds always keeping as low to the ground as possible. Ash worried that his navy parka stood out a bit too well on a snowy backdrop. Misty had dressed much more appropriately, her snow gear being a solid white. With her hood up and hair tucked in, she practically disappeared. More than once, Misty forced them both to duck down into the snow, waiting out people who had come too close. Ash cursed himself for not thinking more stealthy when packing his clothing but then again, he had assumed he'd just be flying Charizard the entire way. He never thought he'd be crazy enough to start a foot race against White Ice up the mountain.

Things were going well. Despite Ash's ill-colored clothing, they were both staying pretty warm and dry. And more importantly, they hadn't been spotted either. They made rather good time by cutting through yards and back alleys. After only fifteen minutes or so since parting with Gary, the two of them had found themselves nearly outside Brightinting again.

It happened just as the two of them had leaped off a low split rail fence and back onto the road that led out of town. They were beyond the buildings now, standing on the crest of the hill. Just a little further and they'd be completely out of comfortable eyesight. And that's when Ash heard Pikachu's cries and a loud crack as lighting split down from the skies, striking outside a building just south of them.

Ash and Misty stood dumbstruck. It was Ash who reacted first, moving towards where he had seen the lightning. Misty quickly grabbed his arm.

"No."

"That was Pikachu!"

"I know, Ash."

"They may need our help!"

"You _know_ what's more important right now."

It wasn't a question. She silently begged him with her eyes to stay. Ash couldn't help the fact that he was shaking. There was another loud sound, like an explosion. In the same locality of the first. Ash watched helplessly as nearby doors swung open and people rushed towards the commotion. Someone might see them both, standing on the top of the hill; staring and doing nothing.

And then, they spotted something a great deal more frightening. A large group of White Ice agents came rushing around the corner, towards the disturbance. They were clearly armed with pokeballs and onlookers did their best to get out of their way. Those who didn't were violently shoved or kicked. They were making good time despite the growing crowd and Ash guessed that they'd reach Pikachu's location in five minutes or less.

Misty reacted immediately, trying to drag Ash along with her up the path. Or at least to the side of the road where they could fall safely behind a snowdrift. But Ash couldn't move. She yanked at his arm but he stayed in place, silently counting the members as they jogged by.

"Fifteen. Gary can't take fifteen pokemon trainers," said Ash, under his breath.

"Ash, come on. They'll see us."

She yanked at his arm again. Still, Ash refused to move. But he did turn back to her.

"There's too many. They can't take them all."

"He's probably with Team Rocket by now."

"That's still too many! Fifteen pokemon trainers? At once?"

"We have to trust that they have this, Ash!"

Ash violently pulled his arm free. Misty stumbled forward but somehow managed to keep on her feet. Ash glared at her.

"They _don't_ have this."

Another explosion echoed off the still buildings, rattling nearby windows. They could feel the vibration on their feet. The pair, however, ignored it and stared each other down.

"What do you suggest we do? Get captured ourselves?" spat Misty, clearly exasperated.

"I don't know but we have to do something!" Ash whirled back around, dismayed to see smoke now snaking up from the cluster of buildings. Something had caught fire.

Misty let out a deep sigh. "I hate you," she grumbled before lightly pushing him aside.

Misty cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted: "HEY, YOU!"

Her sudden shout made Ash jump. It took him a second to realize that she wasn't yelling at him but at the White Ice team down the hill. They were a sizeable distance away but across the snowy landscape, Misty's voice carried well. It helped that she was waving frantically at them too. A few members had turned their heads in her direction.

"HEY, YOU! WHITE ICE KNUCKLEHEADS! YOU LOOKING FOR SOMEONE?"

Misty pointed to Ash, once again giving Ash a start. The members who had stopped to look were now nudging a few of their other teammates. Ash couldn't tell if they actually recognized him, with his parka and different colored hair. But Misty's strange behavior was probably enough to peak their interests.

"IF YOU WANT HIM, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CATCH HIM!"

Misty didn't grab him this time. Instead, she reached for his hand and Ash took it warmly in his own.

She gave both their hands a reassuring shake. "Ready to run?"

"Yup."

"Good," Misty cast a look back down the hill. Already a small handful of agents had set off after them. It would take them a bit to climb the steep incline but they looked well equipped for the task. The slick cobblestones seemed no match for their very possibly treaded shoes. They must have anticipated the mountain climb more so than their own group had.

"Let's get out of here."

Misty didn't need to tell Ash twice.

* * *

 **A** sh felt like he was hiccuping on the hard mountain air. He could barely hold his breath down as he dashed through the snow; bouncing in and out of the heavy drifts. The wind had picked up when they started this ridiculous game of tag, continuously whipping his hood off his head. Ash was getting chilled but he had no choice but to keep yanking the hood back up and soldiering on.

The original plan had been to release Pidgeot or Charizard as soon as they had gotten this group of White Ice members far enough from town. They hadn't wanted to lose them too quickly for fear that they might go back for the others. But now that the soft fat flakes had turned into a pelting curtain of white, icing their heads, shoulders, and backs; they knew this was no longer an option. Charizard didn't do well in icy wet climate. And Pidgeot would be no match for the gale-force wind that was slamming through the mountain range.

The weather had turned in a bad way. They had no choice but to keep running as the agents perpetually gained. The weather wasn't even a speed bump in their pursuit. It was good news for the others'. But bad for the two of them, as these agents must have known the pair were not just some crazy insult spewing teenagers. They had to suspect who they actually were now.

They had just crested another hill when Ash heard the telltale cracks of released pokeballs. The pair spun around, fearing the worst. White Ice had gained enough ground to comfortably unleash their pokemon. Several dark types judging by the color of their fur and gnashing teeth. Ash spotted a few houndoom for sure. Maybe a sableye although it was hard to tell through the snow.

"We're gonna have to fight," Misty said, snapping her own pokeball off her charm bracelet.

Ash frowned and looked back the way they had been heading. The path had long since slipped underneath heavy snow. They were running blind, simply trusting that any direction towards the mountain would actually lead to the mountain. So Ash was surprised to see that beyond this hill was actually a rather steep incline down to, what Ash hoped was, the base of the mountain.

The supposed path down was clear at first. But eventually, it became swallowed in a thick forest of pine trees. It would be an extremely dangerous trek to take at high speed but so would facing a large number of vicious pokemon and White Ice members. If even one was armed with more than a pokeball, they'd be done for.

Ash released a pokemon but Misty was startled when Squirtle bounced out of the red light.

" _Blimey, it's cold, Ash!"_ The turtle pokemon squealed, bouncing from one foot to another. _"Little warning next time would be great!"_

"Small talk later, Squirtle. I need your help and I need it quick."

The pokemon blinked but nodded tentatively. Squirtle couldn't help but notice the rather large group of pokemon and humans scrambling up the snowy hill for them. And how Ash was facing the opposite direction of the supposed menace.

Misty looked incredulously between Ash and his pokemon.

"Squirtle? No offense, Ash but while I'm all for water pokemon, I'm thinking maybe Charizard would be better suited for this situation? Something a little… tougher looking?"

Squirtle puffed himself up, clearly taking offense from Misty's comment but Ash ignored them both. He only had eyes for the opposite side of the hill. He started digging a small rectangle out of the snow with his feet, pounding down the edges. He favored his feet, still being gloveless on his left hand. When Squirtle tried to help, Ash shooed him off, regulating a different task to him instead.

"Douse this with water, Squirtle. Especially the top. I need it nice and icy."

Squirtle immediately complied. The water gun steamed upon its introduction to the snow before quickly icing over. Misty watched in confusion as Ash proceeded to start a snow crafting project with his pokemon rather than address the very real threat sprinting up the hill for them. In a short matter of seconds, Ash finished with the rectangular slab he had been crafting. He and Squirtle both lifted and flipped the slab over when it suddenly dawned on Misty what Ash was attempting to do.

"Ash, we cannot sled our way away from White Ice."

"We're going to try," Ash said, clapping the extra snow off his single glove.

White Ice was getting dangerously close. They had closed the distance from yards to feet. Misty had planned to hold the line. But Ash grabbed her pokeball throwing hand before she could unleash Golduck. He yanked her over to his makeshift sled and forced her to sit down in front.

"Ash! This isn't a good idea! It's just a slab of ice!"

"Right."

"It'll break apart the instant we start down the hill."

"Hopefully not."

Ash had returned Squirtle and situated himself behind her. They could both hear the shouts clearly now as agents ordered them to disarm and get on the ground. Misty didn't think she could be any closer to the ground than she already was, leaning back into Ash as he scooted them closer to the edge.

"Have you even done anything like this before?"

"Not really."

"I hate you... _so much_ right now."

"Hold on," Ash said before pushing off.

The names that Misty wanted to call him got swallowed up in her scream.

* * *

 **T** he makeshift toboggan worked better than even Ash anticipated. They shot down the steep hillside, leaving a spray of snow in their wake. The ice somehow held under both of their weight and from the back Ash was able to somewhat steer. He only looked back once, unsurprised to see their pursuers lined up on the hilltop, evidently puzzled with how to proceed. With any luck, that indecision would stay with them long enough for Ash and Misty to get a sizable distance on them.

Misty went rigid with panic but still frequently belted out shrieks and cusses. Ash had to work around her fear; making up for her lack of cooperation by putting all his weight into each turn they needed to take. Ash had been sledding before, of course. But this sort of thing, surfing on a slab of ice as they were, really wasn't his forte. He was guessing how to maneuver his body, acting on instinct and a desperate desire to keep them from careening into a wayward tree.

They continued to pick up speed. Although Ash was steering, it proved almost impossible through the wind and pelting snow. So consumed, Ash didn't notice the looming obstacle until Misty's airless gasp.

An enormous boulder, as if dropped from the heavens just moments before, appeared on their track. Misty screamed out Ash's name while the young man flung himself into an impossibly sharp turn. He had to use his left arm to both slow and anchor their turn. The snow proved as sharp as glass, tearing up his sleeves and biting into his skin. Ash gritted through the burning pain, putting all his weight into saving their lives.

They made it by a hair, only just clipping the massive stone as they passed. The hit sent the sled into a tailspin that both passengers could only just hold on for. The ice sled cracked; the point of impact slowly splintering their mode of transport. Thankfully, they seemed to be reaching an embankment. And Misty, although shaken by their near miss, seemed to wake back up. She worked with Ash to bring the sled out of the spin and back to a slow and anticlimactic stop.

The world no longer spinning, the two collapsed on the sled; exhausted.

Ash couldn't move. And evidently, neither could Misty who was still lying heavily on top of him. Both were flushed and trembling. That certainly wasn't like any merry sleigh ride that they had experienced as kids.

Ash winced when lifting his left arm. From elbow to wrist, he had managed to rip off a good bit of skin. He was bleeding lightly, the cold air probably doing a decent job at clotting his blood. He used it to his advantage, wrapping the wound back up in his ripped up sleeve. And of course, Ash made sure Misty saw none of this; quickly adjusting his jacket to hide the makeshift bandage from view.

"Are you alright?" Misty asked, climbing back up to her unsteady feet. Ash had to catch her with his good hand before she fell back on top of him.

Ash made sure to keep his injury behind his back as he quickly answered, "Yeah. All good. How about you?"

"Fine, fine," Misty paused, letting out a messy exhale. She nervously flattened down her hair that was proving particularly stubborn in the blizzard conditions. The yellow locks that dared to peek out from beneath her hood were iced with white. She cast a wary glance around the shadowy forest they had tobogganed into. "Where even are we?"

"A little off track. But the mountain we need," Ash pointed behind her at one of the massive mountains that loomed over them. "Is right there."

"Are you sure?"

Ash shrugged, unconsciously fiddling with his torn sleeve. "I've been following my gut up until this point. It feels right. I'm pretty sure Mewtwo is up there… somewhere. It's also in the approximate location that Giovanni said he'd be if that makes you feel any better."

Misty frowned up at the mountain but said nothing.

Ash climbed cautiously to his feet, trying to favor one side over the other without making it too obvious. His efforts were unnecessary though as Misty continued to stare skyward. When at last she spoke, her words cut through the silence like glass.

"That was reckless, you know?"

Ash nodded, distractedly counting off his pokeballs. When Misty whirled back around and Ash saw the tears in her eyes, Ash realized exactly how much he had messed up.

"You didn't even _ask_ me!"

"Uh… We didn't exactly have time to debate-"

"Don't give me that shit, Ash. If we're gonna make it out here, if we're gonna make it up that mountain," She jutted a finger at the peak behind her. "We need to communicate. You can't just decide things without consulting me! That's not how things are going to work. _We are a team!_ "

Ash blinked, unable to do much but stare back at her. Misty rubbed her eyes on her sleeve and took a couple of deep breaths. She was still flushed and shaking. Ash felt a sudden pang of guilt.

"I'm sorry," He mumbled. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me. Not like that-" She stepped back, taking a moment to compose herself again. It was a lot of pacing and large angry waving gestures at herself and some imaginary opponent that Ash suspected resembled himself. After a long silence, Misty seemed to recollect herself enough to say. "Remember when we were kids? We worked together, didn't we?"

Ash nodded.

"I know that when we are in danger we can't exactly hold a vote. I get that. But I need you to talk to me. I need you to tell me what to do. I need you to trust me and my opinion. I could have helped you up there. I could have made something sturdier; I have a water pokemon with ice beam, dammit."

"I see."

"Do you, Ash? Because I really need you to be with me on this."

She held out her hand to him. Ash felt his injured arm starting to burn but he gave her his good one. He gave her hand a tight squeeze.

"I'm with you."

"We work together. On everything. No more secrets."

Ash searched her face for some sort of betrayal, some twitch of guilt. Her expression was like stone. It made him uncomfortable, fully conscious of everything he would have to continue to hide from her and from everyone else.

"Right," Ash said, dropping his eyes.

"So now's the perfect time for you to tell me all about Mew."

Ash let go of her hand. Her words felt like a physical blow that nearly knocked him off his feet. He swayed unsteadily in place, unable to do much but stare. Misty coolly looked back at him, her arms crossed and one eyebrow arched knowingly.

"M-mew?" Ash sputtered, trying to crack a smile despite how thoroughly unfunny this situation was. It was truly a pathetic attempt to bluff his way out. And Mew, whose presence had fluttered to the surface at the mention of her name, let him know it. _You aren't fooling her._ "What are you talking about?"

"How else would you be able to sense Mewtwo? Since when has being Chosen One allotted you with superpowers, Ash?"

"You don't know that it didn't!"

"You can understand pokemon. And I suspect, beyond sensing and understanding pokemon, you probably have more of Mew's powers too… Like a pink translucent shield?"

Ash stood frozen. His eyes were wide and horrified and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Much as he wished she'd stop saying everything she was saying, he couldn't move. He didn't feel present anymore, almost floating somewhere behind himself. Maybe Mew had taken over his body without his knowledge. But she wasn't saying anything. No one was saying anything.

And the cold wind continued to whip and twist the icy air around them.

Because he couldn't quite react to anything else, Ash asked, "What's translucent mean?"

Misty let out a breath that sounded almost like a laugh. She was quick to cover it up. "It means you can see through it."

"Oh." Ash heavily plopped down into the snow. He pulled his knees in close to his chest and redirected his wide-eyed stare to his boots; as if he just realized he was wearing them.

Misty sat down next to him but Ash didn't look at her. They probably didn't have time for this. Ash knew they didn't have time for this. But he couldn't move. And his arm was really starting to hurt.

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Fine. You don't have to talk. I'll do it." Ash could hear her shifting in the snow, scooting closer. He resisted the urge to pull away from her. "I'm sorry, Ash. But I needed you to know… to trust me. I already know everything. You don't have to keep it a secret anymore."

" _How!_ How do you know?" Ash cried, burying his face into his knees. His snow pants were still damp from the snow but still, he hid, ignoring the feel of the wet material on his face. The answer came to him before Misty had to say it.

Probably because Mew was already there, already surfacing in his thoughts, he suddenly could understand it. It came like a flash, a memory that wasn't his own. He remembered sitting up suddenly in the train car; sitting up in his sleep. He remembered being interrogated from both sides; Misty and his father. They pressed him for answers and obediently he complied. Because his tongue was no longer his own.

His whole face felt numb but it was not from the cold. Ash slowly lifted his head and turned back to Misty.

"You talked to Mew?"

Misty shrugged. Despite the half-hearted gesture, she looked particularly humble.

"Why would you do that?"

"Oh, I don't know, Ash. Maybe because you wouldn't talk to me!"

"How do you know? You didn't even try!" Ash slammed his open hand on the snow giving Misty a start. But it wasn't enough to dislodge her own anger. All it did was slap his unprotected palm against a bitterly icy surface. Like he needed frostbite on his only good hand.

"You told me to treat you like everything was normal." Misty swung out her arms to the notably quiet woods around them. "Well, fucking news flash, Ash! It isn't. And you know how I knew that? I knew it when you sprouted a fucking energy field from your hands! What was I supposed to do?"

"Well, for starters, don't go behind my back and talk to the pokemon that's controlling my body! While I was asleep?! Don't you realize how invasive that is?"

"Well, _sooo-rry!_ " Misty spat, sounding the exact opposite. "When exactly were you planning to tell us you had an extra passenger in your body, Ash? Before Mewtwo? After Mewtwo? When those creepy possessed pokemon came to carry you away?"

"NEVER!" Ash screamed, effectively cutting Misty off at last. Now it was her turn to look dumbfounded. Ash pulled himself back out of the snow, somehow. When he looked back at Misty now, he glared somewhere above her right shoulder; his eyes not quite able to meet her own. Although his voice was softer, it still held the furious edge of his acrimony.

"I was _never_ going to tell you."

Misty couldn't help herself. "Why?"

Ash's eyes flashed blue. Misty took an unconscious step back before she could stop herself. She knew Ash noticed.

"If you have to ask, then maybe Mew didn't tell you everything after all." Ash blinked and his eyes returned to their former more comforting shade. He stood awkwardly for a moment, before ultimately turning away.

"Come on," He muttered, "We've wasted enough time here."

Ash forged ahead. For all his ferocious display, the young man still struggled with yanking his feet back out of the calf-deep snow. He stumbled ahead, the awkwardness between the pair being the only thing that kept him from looking back.

Misty used Ash's path to move through the snow more easily.

 _Well_ , She thought idly to herself. _That couldn't have gone much worse. Good job, Misty._

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Happy update to all! Thanks to those who reviewed last time: Shaveza, Yumetakato, juaniu1994, Ashora and our many guest readers! I know I didn't give as long a time between chapters to leave your reviews but I'm sure most of you will be thrilled about that.

And Ashora says I've been spoiling everyone with these updates. Aw, thank you, Ashora! It's been long overdue, that's for sure. I have planned for this meeting with Mewtwo since the very first chapter. It feels unreal how close we are. I can't wait as its one of my favorite scenes from this fanfiction idea I've harbored for the last ten years.

Next chapter should be up sometime in the March/April time frame. Next chapter, Ash and Misty will try to repair their fractured friendship while climbing a mountain. See you all then!


	11. Faith

**Last Time On Hia:  
** To lose the WI agents that had been following them, Ash and Misty have ventured deep into the mountain range. But can their friendship survive the recently exposed secrets?  
Quote: _Well, that couldn't have gone much worse. Good job, Misty._

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven:** Faith

Let's say,  
I fell into place, I feel much better,  
I don't remember a thing.  
Would it make you think of me as normal again?  
-Early Rise

 **A** sh pressed his hand down onto his forearm until it hurt. He could feel tears threatening the corners of his eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut and kept up the pressure. He willed Mew's power to flow from his hands just as it had done for little Starfish. He called upon the mist that had numbed and soothed simultaneously. But all he could feel was burning pain.

"Heal, heal, heal," he chanted under his breath.

When at last he lifted his hand, Ash could see nothing had changed. His wound was still swollen and pink around the edges of his makeshift bandage. In these frigid temperatures, it bled very little but Ash knew now that was possibly a bad thing. Without the blood to wash out his wound and no readily accessible first aid kit, his road rash would worsen. Soon he'd be fighting off an infection.

"Why isn't it working?" Ash hissed.

He could feel Mew's presence as if she were perched right on his shoulder, but she wasn't saying anything. Once or twice, Ash thought he might have heard something. However, the voice was so small and fragile that he could barely make it out.

"Why isn't it working, Mew?" Ash tried again. He listened harder this time. There definitely was an answer. He could just hear her twinkling voice over the whistling wind. But again, Ash couldn't make out the words. Nor did she seem able to wrest control of his own lips.

Ash hoped this wasn't a symptom of what he feared. He _had_ been using her powers rather frequently of late. But then why couldn't he use them now? If she _were_ disappearing, wouldn't her powers be more accessible to him, not less?

It was at that inopportune moment that Misty stepped back out from the thick underbrush, which remained packed low with the weight of snow. She had walked away to "handle business", or so she said. Ash figured she just needed to squat behind a tree. Hoping that it might take a while, Ash had tried at healing himself.

But now she was back. Ash was forced to hide his injury again, slipping his arm behind his back, at least long enough for him to yank his ripped sleeve back over the bandage.

"You talking to someone? Cause I know you aren't talking to me," Misty said with rather morbid cheer as she trudged through the heavier snowdrifts and back to his side.

Ash didn't appreciate her humor. He knew what she was doing. She was trying to make light of their situation in the hopes that maybe with some jokes, he'd find it in his heart to forgive her. Unluckily for her, no matter how cute she tried to be, Ash was still furious with her.

He turned away, pretending she hadn't spoken. Just as he had done for the last two hours.

Misty sighed but took his silent treatment in stride. Which was actually quite unlike her and it pissed him off. Ash wanted to yell and scream. He wanted an argument. That's how they used to solve things as kids, after all. But she was being stubbornly civil and that was just infuriating.

Her behavior told him that she didn't care. That she didn't see how what she did was wrong. Not that matching shouts with him would tell him otherwise, but with this fake friendly act, she was making him feel like the unreasonable one.

This false cheer also told him that she was pretending that he didn't scare her. Ash knew he did. Who wouldn't be scared of a young man with supernatural powers he could barely control? He even scared himself.

"Where to?"

Ash resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not that he cared about sparing her feelings. At the moment, he was still trying to pretend she didn't exist.

Instead of answering, he turned and started walking back up the path they had already been taking. Misty followed; she was always good at that.

The mountain Ash had chosen had appeared pretty sheer from the bottom. It dove upwards, straight into the clouds. In these stormy conditions, it was impossible to even know if it had a peak. If Mewtwo were here, Ash suspected his hideout would have to be somewhere near the mountain's apex.

Ash had been through mountain ranges before—he'd even climbed a few shorter peaks with the help of more experienced climbers. But he had never attempted climbing straight up to the top of one, certainly not one of this size. He had anticipated a much easier trek up to Mewtwo.

Ash was embarrassed to admit that while he hadn't exactly expected a staircase, he had thought the path would be more defined. There were more trees than Ash expected, with roots that tore up any semblance of a pathway. And rainwater overflow had washed away much of where a path might have been, leaving a sizable difference between elevations at times. More than once, Ash had to help Misty climb tree roots like horribly mangled ladders. They were slick with ice and almost too challenging for Ash himself to scramble up. He couldn't keep pretending Misty didn't exist at the risk of her own safety.

He didn't have to talk to her, though.

However, he did want to talk to someone. His head felt frighteningly full of things he couldn't even begin to untangle. Mew's silence was unnerving and Pikachu's absence left a gaping hole. He walked on in silence, wishing Misty hadn't done what she did so that he could tell her how scared he was.

He wasn't completely bereft of friends. Ash knew he could summon one of his pokemon to chat with. But suddenly striking up a conversation with one of them would certainly turn Misty's head. And which one would he even talk to? Since acquiring the ability to understand his pokemon, Ash hadn't exactly had the time to explain it all to them. He had a basic understanding of their personalities formulated from his limited human interactions with them. But now, he'd be introducing himself anew. And Ash wasn't sure he was ready for all that on top of everything else he was going through at the moment.

Ash suspected that Butterfree might have been the sweetest. She was his youngest capture and the only one without years of baggage that came from being one of his teammates. He suspected she'd be wonderful to talk to. But then again, she was young and inexperienced. She'd probably just spend their whole conversation trying to make him feel better.

Ash didn't just need to feel better. He needed advice.

Squirtle and Bulbasaur would just be so jazzed to converse with their pokemon trainer that Ash suspected they wouldn't exactly take any of his problems seriously. Though in Squirtle's defense, the water type rarely took anything seriously.

Pidgeot was apparently extremely paranoid. Ash had no idea. And he suspected that the bird was just as self-conscious about Ash understanding him as Ash was, at least if their last conversation had been any indication. But to Pidgeot's credit, he was one pokemon that Ash wouldn't have to break the news of his newfound understanding to.

That left one pokemon. Ash's hand hovered the heated pokeball before reluctantly tapping its side. The pokeball twitched passively in response.

How would a conversation with Charizard even go? Of all his pokemon, Ash knew he'd be the least likely to enjoy being sought out for advice.

Ash closed his eyes, considering it.

" _You want something, Little One?"_

It was funny but out of all of his pokemon, Charizard was the only one who would have exactly the sort of voice that Ash suspected he'd have. Gruff and cold, but not without feeling. The voice of a grandfather who always pretended he had better things to do than sit and chat.

"I'm in a bit of trouble," Ash admitted to himself.

" _That's new."_

Ash knew Charizard was joking, even if his deadpan tone gave no hint of it.

"Misty knows about me. My father knows. I don't know who else. And Mew's gone. I don't know if she's… but I can't use her powers. I don't know why I can't use her powers."

" _That's a lot,"_ Charizard snuffed for a moment as if mulling over what Ash had just unloaded. _"What do they know? You'll need to be more specific."_

"They know about Mew and me."

" _Blue Eyes."_

That was an odd name for her. Ash went with it. "Yeah. I guess I should explain…"

" _Unnecessary. You are unlike most humans now. It upsets you. That is clear."_

Ash swallowed hard. His imagination was surprisingly on point. He kept his brisk pace forward not wanting to chance Misty catching sight of his misted eyes.

" _So Red and your father know. How are you sure?"_ Charizard continued.

"She told me."

" _I see…"_

"Misty manipulated Mew while I was asleep and got her to say everything. I can't forgive her."

" _But you will."_

"No. No, I won't."

" _Hmmm."_ Charizard was quiet for a moment.

It was just long enough a pause to give Ash the nerve to ask, "Why do you say that?"

" _You are a stubbornly forgiving human. You even forgive those you shouldn't. Red is your friend. She cares about you. She made a mistake while trying to help you. You will forgive her."_

"I don't want to forgive her."

" _Then don't."_

Ash made a face, tapping the side of Charizard's pokeball. "Didn't you just tell me to forgive her?"

" _No. I said you would forgive her. Not that you should. I don't care either way, Little one. Little bit is better equipped to handle your human drama. He's nosey."_

"Pikachu's not here at the moment."

" _I figured."_

"What do I do about Mew?"

" _ **Can**_ _you do anything?"_

This gave Ash pause. He stumbled, kicking up a bit of snow unintentionally. Before Misty could try to catch up and act concerned, Ash quickly composed himself. He picked up his pace again, leaving Misty to trail behind.

"What do you mean?"

" _Is there anything you can do if Blue Eyes is gone?"_

"I- I don't know. I never wanted to… think about it."

Charizard snorted. _"If you can't affect the outcome, why concern yourself? Blue Eyes' fate is out of your hands."_

"But what if there is something that I can do? But I can't do anything about it because I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing?"

" _If you don't know it, you don't know it. You can't change what you know by fretting about like a hatchling."_

"That doesn't make me feel any better! What if my not knowing is what kills her?"

" _And what if it isn't? What good is it for you to whine about it now? You waste time with this when you should be concerned about where you are going."_

Ash didn't exactly know how his imagination did it; Ash really hadn't been paying attention. But Charizard's well-timed warning just kept Ash from walking straight into the bough of a nearby evergreen. He paused, staring at the pine as if it had just sprouted out of the snow in front of him.

" _As for your powers, have you considered why you might not be able to use them?"_

"I've been trying to figure that out for the past several hours," Ash grumbled irritably to himself.

" _Did Blue Eyes ever suggest that your abilities came with the condition of enthusiasm?"_

"What?"

" _Maybe you can't use them because you don't want to."_

Ash let go of Charizard's pokeball and its voice and presence immediately faded. He stared down at his pokebelt in confusion. Was it possible that he actually…

When he placed a hand back over Charizard's ball, he willed the pokemon's voice back into his thoughts. But it wasn't Charizard's voice who cut through the snowy silence.

"Break in the trail ahead," Misty announced, his pause finally giving her the time to catch up. Ash's eyes darted forward to where she pointed. Sure enough, their already difficult to follow path had somehow split in two around a rather precarious-looking slope.

"But that's okay," She gave his arm a light slap. "We've got a Mewtwo compass with us, don't we? Which way to the insanely evil and powerful pokemon?"

She was joking but Ash still didn't appreciate her levity.

He glared up the trails as if either of them could impart a sense of direction upon him. One snaked up the side of the mountain, emptying out into an open space of white skies. He watched as snow dusted off the top of the hill in a deceptively peaceful swirl. The snow was looser ahead. That could be dangerous for two unprepared climbers who lacked any sort of climbing gear.

He looked back towards the other path. It curved in such a way as to suggest a more inland route. The path was deeply shaded by a cluster of large pine trees. With that many trees, the trail would inevitably have deeper and more packed snow, hopefully leading to better footing. But it could also lead them back down the other side, not upward like they needed.

Ash stood on the spot, hesitantly looking back and forth between both choices. Misty couldn't help but notice.

"Hey… Are you okay?"

She reached out to touch his shoulder. But before her fingers could even graze the material of his jacket, he jerked away. As though repulsed by her attempt to comfort him.

"It's not a joke, okay? My powers are not a joke!" Ash shouted suddenly. But he shouted down the snow, refusing even now to acknowledge her. His words were fierce enough to pierce right through Misty. But nothing hurt more than how he recoiled from her touch as if she were toxic.

"I… I never meant…" Misty swallowed hard and crossed her arms, determined to keep her hands to herself from now on. "Right. Of course not. I'm sorry for making fun."

The air was frigid and Misty could see the small puffs of breath coming from his lips even as he hid his face from her. There were many as he struggled to catch his breath. His fists were tight and trembling. Then he let out a long breath and the tension dissipated like his breath on the chilled breeze.

"This way," he said, pointing to the skyward path.

Misty wisely said nothing. She only ducked her head and obediently followed behind. At least he was talking to her again, Misty mused as she crunched along in the snow after him. That was a good thing, wasn't it?

* * *

 **T** he trail turned out to be just as perilous as Ash feared. More than once, he considered turning back for more solid ground. More than once they were forced to brace themselves against the mountain as they took frighteningly small ledges higher and higher.

Once the trail had started to widen again, Misty found each step increasingly harder to take. This time it wasn't the trail to blame but her own fatigue. They had been going for hours without break, most of which she had assumed been fueled by Ash's own adrenaline; his anger with her. But they couldn't keep this pace, or at least, she couldn't. Her toes felt frozen through, despite the many layers of socks she had on. Each step brought a stab of icy pain up her legs. And even though she shoved her gloved hands under her arms for warmth, she couldn't seem to bring back feeling.

Misty couldn't help but notice Ash wasn't doing any better. His pace had waned enough that more than once, even in her sluggish state, Misty found herself nearly overtaking his lead. And Misty thought his posture had started taking an alarming tilt, one that was getting increasingly harder to ignore. She had caught him stumbling over his own boots more than once.

"Ash… maybe we should take a break."

No answer. Misty straightened up and forced herself with the last dregs of her energy to jog closer, thinking he must not have been able to hear over the snowy conditions.

"It's past midday. We should take a break. Get something to eat," she said again, louder this time.

"No."

"No?"

Ash shook his head but Misty could see the tired lines on his face.

"We can't stop. White Ice could catch up. We need to find Mewtwo first."

He looked oddly pale, his pink cheeks standing out starkly on his shocked white skin. Misty thought she could even see the sweat glistening on his forehead. Just how hard was he exerting himself?

She shook her head. "Ash, I'm tired. You're tired too, I can tell. Mewtwo isn't going anywhere…"

She tried to stand in the way a little. Misty had hoped that by blocking his path he might slow down and reconsider. But instead, he just pushed past her, knocking her lightly to the side. Misty stumbled, biting back her frustration to little success.

"Ash, seriously! I'm dead tired! Let's rest! Just ten minutes!"

When Ash spun back around, she thought she might have knocked some sense into him at last. One look at his face informed her otherwise.

"Then go home. You don't need to be here. I can find Mewtwo on my own."

"You cannot be serious."

"I am. You're just dead weight to me. Go back to Gary. Go back to your _boyfriend_."

If Ash had slapped her, it wouldn't have been nearly as effective at shocking her the way this bitter retort did. She stood, the unrelenting wind whipping her short hair across her face, effectively rendered speechless. And her surprise and silence was probably the only thing keeping Ash from self-righteously marching off.

He seemed to realize he had said too much. He absentmindedly covered his mouth with his ungloved hand and Misty's eyes flashed to the bandages on his arm. Before she could quite register what she was looking at, Ash had quickly turned to hide his arm away from her again.

She stared suspiciously at him but when she spoke, Misty addressed his accusation instead.

"My boyfriend? You think Gary is my boyfriend? Is this why you've been such a colossal dickhead around me and him the last few weeks?"

He was still trying to keep his arm hidden from her. Misty made a point to pace forward and around him, forcing him to keep turning. Yes, he was definitely trying to keep her from noticing his arm. Why?

"Isn't he?" Ash muttered. His voice was weaker. He seemed consumed with the task of keeping her away from his bandages. She was sure they were bandages now. Had he hurt himself somehow?

He stumbled while he was turning. Misty almost caught his elbow but he lurched away, falling backward in the snow.

Misty sighed but she knew better than to try to help him up. His pathetic display wasn't enough to alleviate her anger though. "So what if he is?" She hissed, rounding on the downed trainer. "What right does that give you to punish me for it? Or him? We're adults who have our own adult lives, Ash. And for a good portion of it, you weren't a part of them!"

"I know. I just thought you'd tell me…"

"Did I need your fucking permission?"

"No, of course not… of course not… that's not it."

Misty sighed again. She felt downright weary now, right down to her bones. She half considered plopping over into the snowdrift right alongside Ash, if he weren't being such a moron. But he was already climbing back to his feet. His legs were shaking oddly, making it difficult for him to regain his feet.

"Here," Misty offered him her hand. He stared at it with glazed eyes. She thought he still didn't trust her.

"Not that it's any of your business… Gary and I _used to_ date. Yes. But it's over between us. And if you had just asked me, I would have told you, doofus."

She offered him her hand again, this time pushing it practically under his nose. But he stared right through it, almost as if he couldn't even see it. It was then that Misty noticed how bright his cheeks looked.

"Ash?"

Ash somehow pulled himself up to his feet where he tipped and swayed drunkenly. It was more than just obvious now. When Misty rushed forward to catch him, he fell back and away from her.

"You and Gary… You aren't…"

"Ash!"

She tried to catch his hand but missed. He stumbled backward a little too close to the edge. His boots couldn't find purchase on the loose snowfall. He slipped and his weight was just enough to cause the ledge to give out underneath him.

Ash fell. A cloud of white followed behind. His plummet was definitely accented by a scream but it wasn't of his own making. For him, it was surprisingly quiet. He had closed his eyes before he even hit the snow below.

* * *

 **A** sh broke out of the water face first, gasping and flailing about for some sort of handhold- anything. The water was icy and dark and seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction. Panic surged more energy into his uselessly flapping limbs. He didn't have any time to reason out how he ended up in this situation. His head was full of two very alarming facts.

These waters were choppy, like those before a storm. And despite his valiant attempts to stay afloat, he was starting to sink.

Just before he felt himself slipping below the surface, Ash flung out his arm and felt someone wrap their fingers about his wrist. With some confused scrambling and the mysterious stranger's help, Ash somehow managed to pull himself up into some sort of canoe.

Ash lay gasping like a beached magikarp for several minutes before he could muster the strength to face his savior. The cool wooden bench felt pretty good against his face. He kinda just wanted to close his eyes and sleep away this nightmarish situation. But _his_ voice was what pulled him back in.

"The storm is only going to get worse."

The voice was like ice to his spine. Ash's eyes snapped open and looked up into the familiar face from his childhood. His own face, in fact. Slowly, Ash pushed himself back up, suspiciously eying his double. There was no way that the ten-year-old could have been strong enough to drag his adult body into this boat without help. And yet, here they sat, bobbing along together like a cork in a draining tub.

The ten-year-old was donning in their old classic. The red Indigo League cap poised at a jaunty angle and a warm looking navy and white jacket wrapped around his shoulders.

It was then that Ash realized his own clothes no longer reflected the present. Gone was the winter gear, replaced with a simple black tee and jeans. Both of which were stubbornly refusing to dry in the damp air, no matter how much he tried to wring them out.

Ash paused and then examined his healed arm, perplexed. "Oh, I see," Ash said at last, looking back over at his clone. "This is a dream."

"Of course it is. What else would it be?"

"Iunno," Ash sighed. "I was starting to wonder if Misty had knocked me clear off the mountain and into a lake."

"Well… if she had, you probably would have deserved it."

Ash made a face but decided against arguing. It made his head hurt even contemplating how it was possible to be sitting in a boat across from yourself.

So instead, Ash said, "So what is it this time? Is Mewtwo going to rise out of the ocean and capsize our boat?"

The kid smiled and shrugged. "I haven't met him yet. But I imagine he's waiting for us, over there."

The younger Ash pointed and Ash followed his hand to a small dark island just on the horizon. That had never been there before… a destination. In spite of himself, Ash stood up- dangerously rocking the boat beneath them. His heart was pounding in his throat. Did this mean something? What did it mean? That he could see the island now, did it mean what he thought it did?

"So hopefully he won't capsize the boat before we get there. I'm not sure how far Squirtle could get us both."

"He's a tough pokemon," Ash responded absentmindedly. He couldn't help but cover his mouth when staring at the haunting little island. He wasn't nauseous, per se. His jaw felt heavy and numb and the pressure of his hand was little comfort.

The boat rocked again as the younger Ash stood up alongside him. Ash glanced over at the boy.

"We're going to meet him soon," He looked up at Ash. "Both of us."

"I don't know if I'm ready."

"Me neither," Ash grinned. "That's what's so exciting."

As if sensing their mood, the water had smoothed out like a sheet of black glass. Ash was unnerved by the double reflection his two faces cast. A wreath of clouds encircled the island as if it was where the storm was originating. Which if that fortress held what he thought, Ash wouldn't be surprised.

The boat knocked against the rocky shore way sooner than Ash would have liked. He watched as his younger self leaped eagerly onto land.

Ash stared at the rocky ground.

"Is something wrong?"

Ash shook his head but still didn't move. His arms felt stuck to his side, heavy and frozen. He couldn't bring himself to take that difficult final step.

"Hey."

Ash lifted his head, surprised to see his little clone smiling back at him. The smile was so gentle and understanding. Surely, no expression had ever graced his own face. The ten-year-old held out his hand to him.

"It's okay to be scared."

"I can't. I can't be scared," Ash swallowed a dry swallow. It did little to help the quake in his voice. "Everyone is counting on me."

"Everyone is _always_ counting on us."

Ash frowned but his younger self was still smiling. Still finding everything so frustratingly effortless.

"That's just what it's like for the world's greatest pokemon master."

Ash tried and failed not to snort. "We are not…"

"I know. But it makes you feel braver, doesn't it?"

His hand was still there. And hesitantly, Ash took it.

The moment his sneakers touched the slick rocky surface of the island, a strange feeling came over him. It started from his toes and like a gust of wind rushed up through his body and straight into his mind. His head ached with the sudden pressure of a thousand images, each making no more sense than the last. Ash thought he might faint.

Ash dropped the kid's hand as he fell to his knees. His head felt like it was close to bursting.

"It's too much!" Ash cried.

"It is not," the kid scolded. "You used to have it in your head. It'll fit just fine."

"Please, please," Ash sobbed into the dirt. "I don't want it."

And as soon as he said so, the pressure left. Ash could feel the boy's hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, he was unsurprised by the disappointment on his younger face.

"If you don't want it, then there's nothing I can do."

Although relieved that the images were no longer trying to cram themselves into his brain, Ash couldn't help the shame from creeping in. Surely this was some sort of test and he had failed it.

"I'm sorry," Ash said softly, not quite able to meet his own eye. "I'm not the same person I used to be."

"Don't be ridiculous."

Ash blinked and whirled about at the sound of the new voice. He hadn't heard the man's voice in so long. But sure enough, standing only feet away was a young man with his spiky buzz cut, looking not a day over sixteen. He smiled his familiar smile, the one he always reserved for Ash when he thought the ten-year-old was being particularly silly. Which if Ash remembered correctly, happened a lot on their journey together.

"B-brock?"

"Ash, how could you not be the same person?"

Ash tried not to become emotional. Just because it had been years did not merit tears, and especially because none of this was real. He was just imagining it all and Ash refused to cry over imaginary friends.

He climbed to his feet and stared his vivid imagination down.

"I grew up, Brock. I'm not a fearless little kid anymore. Things, these things," Ash waved his hand at the island around them and the unmistakable fortress that loomed overhead. "They scare the shit out of me. I think that's probably why I tried to forget them."

"Yeah, I guess I never had time to tell you. You face scarier things once you grow up." Brock walked closer and it was getting harder and harder to pretend he wasn't real. Out of all his friends, this is the one casualty he never rectified. Ash didn't even know if he could still consider them best friends anymore with the years that had gone on unspoken between them.

"Apparently I faced them when I was a kid," Ash muttered, glancing back at the younger boy. The kid just shrugged from where he was perched on a rock, nonchalantly weaving a pokeball between his fingers. A habit that Ash was sure he hadn't picked up until he was older. Ash was too far away to tell which pokeball it was but he also realized he didn't care.

"But did you understand them?"

Brock laid a heavy hand on Ash's shoulder, drawing his attention back. Ash couldn't help but notice that he was taller than the teenager and this just made Ash feel somehow worse.

"It's scarier when we're older because we understand the cost of failure."

Ash nodded but couldn't answer. His voice felt stuck up in his throat and he was trying not to blink so much.

"But just because the stuff we face gets scarier, doesn't mean we can't rise to meet it."

"I told you. I'm not the same-"

"Then don't be the same. _Change again_. Be something new. Don't let the scary things keep you from being who you _want_ to be."

Ash let Brock guide him, turn him back towards the fortress ahead. Even this far down the cascade of steps, Ash could just see the entrance. It glowed like a beacon through the night. Ash wished he could go anywhere but towards that light.

"But I don't want to die!"

The damning statement burst from his lips quite of its own accord. And yet, neither Brock nor his younger self seemed surprised he would say so.

"I don't want to die…" Ash said again, the words themselves sinking in. He stared ahead at the glassy ocean, blinking back the burning sting in his eyes. In the swirl of images, there seemed to be a few that lined up with such a morbid conclusion. "I died… Didn't I? Somehow… Here..."

The other two didn't answer. But they stared and their stares were solemn and uncomfortably knowing. He didn't like how everything in this nightmare thought it knew better than he did.

There was a long deep silence as if his whole memory was holding its breath. And then somehow a short laugh managed to escape from his lips. Ash looked back up the steps and into the light that held the key to his own demise. He rubbed his face on his sleeve and began to march up the steps. The phantoms of his imagination followed behind. Although they were wordlessly obedient, Ash couldn't help but offer his thoughts,

"Well, I guess if I've already died once, then there's nothing to be scared of anymore."

He stumbled once or twice. Despite the adrenaline, he was still shaking like a leaf. His whole body was screaming at him to go anywhere but towards the light. But he knew that it was the only way out. It was the only way forward. It was the only ending to this memory that made any sense.

When Ash had climbed the final step, the light had vanished and in its place stood doors he didn't want to open.

The heavy ornate doors at the top of the plateau were impossibly tall. Ash didn't think he could ever forget looking up at something so immensely large and frightening. They seemed to stretch up into the sheet of gray clouds that hung low overhead. How could you even open doors like these?

He placed his hand on the door, surprised when a smaller set of hands joined his own. The younger Ash smiled up at him.

"Together?" Ash asked himself.

"Of course."

They both pushed but the doors didn't come easily. Ash had to put all his weight into it. It was a good thing his mirror had decided to help as Ash wasn't sure these heavy metal things would budge otherwise.

Little Ash somehow managed to call out, "Hey Ash?"

Ash grunted in response, not able to give much else.

"I really hope we don't die." He cast a bright grin back up at him. "I was just starting to like you."

Finally, the doors pushed free. The light that poured from the opening was blinding. Ash had to shield his eyes. But between his fingers, Ash could just make out the silhouette of a humanoid pokemon, floating down from the ceiling.

Before the pokemon had touched the ground, Ash had already woken up.

* * *

 **F** eeling in his arm came back to him first. Ash winched as he felt someone tightening bandages around his wound. They were trying to be gentle but were clearly not skillful. Ash remembered her clumsy efforts from back when they were kids. So, when Ash finally cracked open his eyes, he was unsurprised to see Misty kneeling at his side.

It only took a moment or two for Ash to sweep his gaze over his new surroundings. They were no longer out on the mountainside but sheltered in some sort of cave. Misty had propped his comatose body against the wall and tossed his sleeping bag over him for warmth. She must have partially undressed him as well as Ash realized he was no longer in his heavy snow gear. Just a tee shirt and jeans… like in his dream.

Ash blinked. A low campfire nearby did the double duty of giving them light and warmth. Ash was rather impressed by how much Misty had done entirely by herself.

Misty must have realized he was awake. When she dropped his injured arm, she was looking at him expectantly. Ash met her eyes with his own tired ones.

"Hey."

"Hey," Misty affirmed.

"I'm alive?"

"Yes. Although I'm sure you'd be happy to know you gave death your best shot."

Ash managed a smile- a small one. "Thanks for bringing me back."

Misty sighed and brushed her sweaty bangs out of her eyes with the back of her hand. Even in his fatigued state, Ash could see how tired she was. There were some pretty dark circles under her eyes. She might have been up for hours. Ash hoped she had relied on some of their pokemon for help.

"Yeah, well…" Misty shrugged. "Pretty sure the others would get mad if I left you for dead."

"Oh yeah. You'd be in _so_ much trouble. Team Rocket, Gary and Giovanni. Some of my biggest fans."

Now it was Misty's turn to smile. She let out a soft laugh before returning to the dressings on his arm. For such a clumsy healer, she hadn't done a half-bad job this time. Ash lifted his arm a bit, examining it from both sides. It was certainly a better job than his makeshift attempt. He was sure she had cleaned it out as well.

It was easier to take care of a wound when you weren't trying to pretend you didn't have one.

Misty's thoughts must have aligned with his own. She had stopped messing with the bandages and simply laid her hand gently over his own. Her eyes were glassy in the low light.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

"I… I had other things on my mind."

"Ash," Misty squeezed his hand, careful to avoid injuring him further. But the tight squeeze was no less urgent, no less insistent. "You can't keep doing this. You need to tell me when you're hurt, stupid."

Ash turned his head. It was hard to keep looking at her. "Okay."

"No, Ash. Promise me. From now on."

She let go of his hand. Ash looked up in surprise as Misty pulled away. He felt compelled to say something, to keep her from leaving. But Misty had only pulled back a little.

She had withdrawn to place both hands over her own heart.

"I am sorry," She whispered. "I should never have contacted Mew without talking to you first. No matter my intentions… It wasn't right. I betrayed your trust. I apologize to you and to Mew both. I should never have done it."

Ash stared. Misty took his silence as an invitation to continue. She came closer again, taking up both his good and bad hand in her own.

"I care about you, Ash. You're one of my best friends. And when you do… reckless things- you never tell me- or anyone about what you're going through. You ran away once. All I'm asking is that you stop running away and let us help you."

Ash dropped his eyes and let his hands fall from Misty's own.

"I _am_ letting you help."

"Letting your arm get infected just to keep me from finding out about it is _letting me help_?" Misty rolled her eyes but didn't give Ash a chance to elaborate. "I told you. We're a team. Now I'm sorry that I started us off in a bad way. But I've been nothing but honest with you, Ash. I could have kept the peace, never told you about what I did. But I told you because you deserved to know. Now it's time that you were honest too."

Ash drew his knees to his chest. The sleeping bag crinkled around him. Misty had tried to make him as comfortable as possible. And maybe it was just his fever, but he suddenly felt unbearably cold. He hugged himself closer and glared at his knees.

"I don't know where Mewtwo is… Not anymore."

He had expected Misty to start yelling. At least, throw a thing or two. He certainly would have deserved it. Instead, she scooted in closer, looking perplexed.

"Why did you lie?"

Ash vigorously shook his head. "I didn't lie! Not at first... Ever since you found out… about me. Or I guess, told me that you knew- I can't seem to use any of Mew's powers anymore. So… I pretended. I hoped that maybe if we just headed in the same direction we were originally going that we'd… stumble… across him… or something." Ash buried his face into his knees. "It was stupid. I could've gotten us killed."

"Well, yeah. You definitely could have." She smiled and gave his knee a friendly pat. "But you didn't. You only fell down a mountain."

"Right…"

Misty stood up and walked back over to where she had piled their packs. She started rummaging around in her own bag while she responded. "It actually wasn't that bad a fall. Maybe eight feet or so. The snow broke your fall. It's your fever that scared me more than anything else…" Misty paused, staring at nothing. "And that you wouldn't wake up."

Ash shifted uncomfortably. He imagined that his dream probably kept him under more than any fever. He was starting to suspect that there wasn't anything natural about them, these little recurring nightmares."How long was I out?" Ash asked desperately.

Misty gratefully took the bait. "Maybe a couple of hours. More or less. It's kind of hard to tell time here." She yanked out a couple of dry looking protein bars. She gave their wrapping a once over before tossing one onto Ash's sleeping bag. "Figured you'd prefer that to me trying to cook anything."

Ash leaned forward and grabbed the bar. It was peanut butter flavored… tolerable. He peeled off the wrapping slowly, thoughts other than hunger trying to take up all the room in his head.

"I'm really sorry, Misty," Ash said after a moment. He stared hard at the cluster of wheat and nuts, not quite able to find his appetite.

That didn't seem to be the case for Misty. She was tearing into her own bar with a certain vigor. It proved to be quite chewy. Despite tearing at it with her teeth, she wasn't able to keep the small piece she had bitten into in her mouth. It was like trying to eat jerky.

Ash's words gave her pause. The bar still half hanging from her mouth, she glanced back at him. "Hm?" She managed through her mouthful.

"I'm sorry I dragged you through all of this. All of it, not just _this_ part. I never meant to come back into everyone's life this way. I always thought… if I came back… It would be once all my adventures were over. I'd be a pokemon master and you'd all forgive me for leaving."

Misty finally managed to bite off the piece she had been gnawing on. She chewed thoughtfully for a second before managing a dry swallow. It really was only a passable ration. She'd have to make a note to go with Gary next time when he was picking up food.

"Oh Ash," She sighed, tossing her half-eaten bar aside. "If you came back into our lives any other way, you wouldn't be Ash."

"That doesn't exactly make me feel any better."

"How's this then. I'll forgive you," Misty said, coming over to him. "If you stop lying to protect us. You don't even have to tell everyone else, but you tell me. After all, we've been together since the beginning. You, me and Pikachu."

Ash nodded. When he looked up, he was startled by how close Misty was to his face. She held her fingers poised and ready over his forehead, threatening to flick him- just as she would when they were kids. She loved to flick his head whenever she was mad at him. Ash hated it more than anything and she knew it.

"Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaay it," Misty teased, leaning forward when Ash tried to retreat backward.

"Hey, get those away from me!" Ash tried to grab her hand but she easily dodged his clumsy swipe.

"Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaay it!"

"Stop it, Misty! Don't flick me!" He tried again. But it was hard to aim while laughing. Misty didn't even have to try very hard. She was practically on top of him now, pinning him down with her free arm.

"Say it!"

"Okay, okay! I'll tell you everything from now on. Just don't flick me. Please!" Ash squeezed his eyes closed, preparing for the inevitable pain. He imagined it would only be worse with her longer nails. He was surprised when she only poked his head instead.

"See? Was that so hard?"

Ash frowned up at her. "You threatened me with bodily harm."

"Don't be such a baby."

"I'm not a baby. You're the baby. Who threatens to flick people at your age?"

"Be careful, Ash. I could still flick you."

Ash laughed and tried to bat her away again. It was only when she stopped laughing that Ash's own laughter tapered off. He suddenly became fully cognizant of the position they were in and what it might suggest. The sleeping bag was twisted between them but Misty was still on top. She was still holding down his good arm and leaning uncomfortably close. Only their breath separated them. Ash felt his own face starting to get hot.

"Hey Ash," Misty started softly, still fixing him with that odd look. "There was something I've been wondering."

"Uh… yeah? What is it?" He couldn't manage much more than a whisper himself. With her this close, his whole body felt weak- weaker than before. Ash wanted to turn away. But he was afraid that if he did, he'd miss whatever this was. She was too close and also close enough. His lips were going numb and he could feel his heart beating wildly in his throat.

"Why did my dating Gary bother you? Was it him? Or… was it…?"

The answer hung unspoken on her lips. Ash met her eyes and willed her to understand. He hoped that she would this time. At least, in the silence that followed, she seemed to. She leaned into him and he into her. Ash closed his eyes in anticipation.

And that was when all the light disappeared.

"Dammit. Not again."

Ash blinked in surprise. Without the campfire light, the cave was as dark as pitch. He felt Misty move away after her harsh curse. Swallowing his disappointment, Ash tried to move the same way. Misty's hand pressed against his chest in the darkness, holding him back.

"Don't worry. I'll get it." She snapped on a lighter, softly illuminating her face in the darkness. "Damn air current in the cave, it keeps blowing out the fire somehow."

Oddly enough, Ash didn't think he had felt any wind. Admittedly, he was kind of distracted at the time. He decided to defer to Misty's conclusion.

"This happened before?" he asked, readjusting his rumpled sleeping bag for lack of anything better to do. At least it helped calm him down a little.

"Yeah, a few times. Can't quite figure out how to stop it from happening. I tried moving the fire but…" Misty shrugged. She lit a small twig that she shoved back into the charred remnants of the fire, bringing it slowly back to life. In a few minutes, the fire was back. Not quite as strong as before but it would hold.

It was as she was stirring the embers that a sudden thought crept into Ash's head. It really had to be a strong gust to completely snuff out a roaring fire like the one they had going. And for it to have happened multiple times? Now it was Ash's turn to look at Misty oddly. She spotted his look.

"What?" Misty smiled awkwardly.

"Have you explored this cave?"

"A little."

"Only a little?"

"Why?"

Ash squinted as he looked out into the deep recesses of the cave, back where the light didn't quite reach. It definitely seemed to go on for quite a while. The light cast strange shadows in the darkness. Shadows that could be pokemon shaped, if he squinted hard enough.

Ash tossed the sleeping bag aside, crawling closer to where Misty stood by the fire's light.

"I thought," He whispered urgently. "I thought it would be hiding on the top of the mountain."

Misty's eyes lit up in understanding. "These caverns could snake through the whole mountain."

"It would be a better place for a pokemon to hide, wouldn't it? It could take White Ice years to map out a whole cavern system. And if it's large enough… Mewtwo could play keep away from humans forever."

"But then… how do we…?"

Misty's question sobered the excitement right out of him. He clenched his fists in frustration, still careful to mind his bad arm. It figured that the one time he really needed to be the freak with powers, he was completely useless.

He jumped when Misty placed a gentle hand over his own.

"You can do it. You just need to… practice, right?"

She stood up and Ash watched as she quickly started to pile back on her gear.

"What are you doing?"

Misty shrugged on her jacket and smiled, "I'm going to explore some more."

When Ash tried to follow suit, she waved him off. "No, you stay here. Practice your abilities. Meditate… you know how to do that, right? See if you can get that Mewtwo compass back in order. I'm gonna try to see if we have any friends in here with us."

"Misty, you can't go alone-"

"And you can't go while you are still sick. Now I've given you some aspirin to bring your fever down some but you still need some more time to heal. I can handle a little reconnaissance."

She had her pack on already and Ash was starting to panic. He didn't think there was anything he could do to change her mind.

"But what if you find him? What if he hurts you? I've gotta come with you-" He tried to reach for the straps of his own bag but Misty kicked it out of his reach.

"I won't confront Mewtwo if I find him. But you cannot come with me. You're in no state to face any wild pokemon, much less a dangerous psychic type… created by a megalomaniac… in a Team Rocket laboratory," Misty paused and let out a small laugh. "Yeah, definitely gotta be a stealth mission for this."

"Misty-"

"I'm serious, Ash. What if you faint and I'm forced to carry you back? That would be dangerous for us both."

"I know but-"

"You'd be the most useful to me getting your powers back." She paused, glancing back at the dancing campfire flames. "Maybe if you actually tried using them instead of hiding them all the time… it'd come back to you?"

Ash blinked, remembering the odd, possibly imagined conversation he had had with Charizard before. His hand went unconsciously to his pokebelt. His pokeballs were all still there and all still silent.

Misty shook off the thought and readied to go. And Ash stopped trying to stop her. Instead, he reached for his bag again, snatching something out of the front pocket before Misty could try to interfere again. He pushed it automatically into her unsuspecting hands, not giving her a chance to refuse it.

The odd purple pokeball glowed ominously in the low light. Misty twisted it about in her hand curiously.

"What is this?"

"It's a pokeball I stole from White Ice while I was being held. It's powerful. Professor Oak says it could probably catch any pokemon without fail… And... Mew told me it was... the same pokeball they used to catch her."

Misty stared back at Ash, startled. "So… this was your plan? Catch Mewtwo?"

"It was Gary's. I… I still hadn't decided," He swallowed and nodded to the ball still tight in her grasp. "But I want you to have it. Just in case."

"Just in case," Misty echoed. She gave the strange pokeball one last look before minimizing it and shoving it into her back pocket.

"You won't go too far right? Just a few hours then come back, okay?"

"Don't worry, _Mom_. I've got it," Misty teased. She fished out a flashlight from her jacket pocket that she must have been keeping it close at hand. She sent Ash one last smile before she walked off. Ash watched her go until he couldn't see the beam of her flashlight anymore.

"Please don't find him," He whispered.

* * *

 **H** e tried to sleep while she was gone but it was nearly impossible. He had some vain hope that maybe with a fever not fogging his senses, he'd be able to recall how to summon Mew's abilities. It was a good try. But with Misty wandering out there somewhere alone, off of his own stupid idea nonetheless, Ash couldn't keep still. His mind was racing with all the horrible things that could have gone wrong. What if she got lost? What if she fell somewhere and injured herself? What if she never came back? What was he supposed to do then? How long was too long to wait?

So it came as quite a shock, the first time Misty returned completely unharmed. Before Ash could start pelting her with questions, she smiled and shrugged, "Didn't find anything."

And that was that. She joined him for a late breakfast, actually bothering to try and heat up some soup. Misty used her brief return to check up on Ash's condition, redress his bandages and administer his medicine. Then, properly fed and only mildly rested, she left again.

Her return after the second excursion was faster than the first. She complained of fatigue. When she pulled out her sleeping bag, she went to sleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. It was only then that Ash was able to quiet his worrying thoughts enough to join her.

He didn't dream like before. His fitful sleep was only punctuated by the occasional thought that'd pop the moment he was awake. The only real dream that stuck with him was one about flying pokemon. Except they weren't like the sort that'd normally fly. Rapidash and Pikachus, Golducks and a Meowth. Ash didn't know what he had eaten that'd give him such an odd dream. But then again, he just seemed full of odd dreams lately. At least this one seemed rather pleasant.

The days slipped by like this. Misty disappearing for a few hours only to come back empty-handed. And with each passing day, Ash felt a bit stronger. His fever broke by the first night. And by the third day, Ash was up and preparing a meal himself when Misty came back from exploring.

"Nothing," She announced, tossing off her pack. "Honestly, it has me baffled."

Ash kept stirring his makeshift stew, wishing that he had any of Brock's skill to make the processed food appetizing. He was careful to keep the relief from showing on his face. Every time Misty came back with no leads, Ash's anxiety dropped a little more.

"Well, maybe I was wrong," Ash offered amiably, tapping the ladle on the side of the pot to knock off the excess. "Mewtwo must not be in here after all."

"No… No, I think you were definitely onto something. These caverns, they're super weird."

"What do you mean?"

"There's like nothing. And I mean, nothing. No pokemon. No golbats or zubats, no rock types— absolutely nothing. With a cavern this size, that's downright eerie."

Ash paused, feeling the goosebumps rising on his skin. It wasn't something he had observed himself, but now that Misty pointed it out Ash realized he hadn't encountered any wild pokemon either. Surely one or two would have ducked into a warm cave to escape the blizzard outside. The first night Misty had left him alone, the thought that he'd need to keep his pokemon close at hand definitely crossed his mind. But as the days passed, his concern for Misty's safety had pushed out any worry he might have for himself.

"And the thing is," Misty grunted, plopping down beside Ash as she shrugged out of her heavy snow gear. "I get the oddest feeling that something is watching me. The cave kind of plays tricks on your mind after a while. You hear things… I caught something out of the corner of my eye more than once."

Ash abandoned the stew, unable to keep the alarm from his face. Misty laughed off his concern.

"Don't worry. I don't think it's Mewtwo," She reached forward for the ladle, tasting some of the stew for herself. She paused after a sip, before adding, "It's something different. Something smaller… possibly pretty quick."

Misty gave a halfhearted shrug of approval. The stew would do for dinner. Not like they could afford to be picky. The limited rations they had were already starting to run low. Misty didn't want to think about what they'd have to do if they ran out. Food wasn't exactly an abundant commodity on this frozen icepick of a mountain.

That night, despite Misty being nearby, Ash couldn't rest. He tossed and turned in his sleeping back, jumping awake at small noises. He couldn't chase away the thought of small eyes peering at them in the darkness… He felt their eyes like tiny pinpricks on his skin. He couldn't rub the unpleasant feeling out of his arms.

Ash really wished Pikachu was here. His pokemon partner was an expert at sniffing out snoops and spies, catching Team Rocket at it more than once.

With sleep being elusive, Ash resolved himself to keeping watch. He propped himself against a nearby column that was only a short distance from their campfire. But no sooner had he sat down than the fire sputtered out again.

Ash sighed, preparing to go restart it when a sound tickled his ear. Ash stopped dead, listening hard and willing his eyes to adjust to the dark. It was a light airy sound, like the pitter-patter of padded paws on stone. Ash recognized it. How could he not? It sounded just like Pikachu.

In the dark, Ash heard the creature wander around them. He stayed still, afraid that if he moved he would betray that he was still awake. He didn't know what the pokemon's aims were but it would probably be better if he let it believe it had the upper hand.

He almost leaped straight out of his skin when the pokemon's distinct voice came from just over his shoulder. It seemed even without Mew's powers, he could still translate a pokemon's words.

" _Still here. They may be searching for something."_

Out of the darkness came another voice, lighter and more heavily accented than the first. _"Don't silly be, Bolt. They young. I say they waiting out weather. They leave soon as it clear."_

Ash hadn't quite heard a pokemon sound like that before. Admittedly, his exposure had been rather limited to a small pool. But if Ash didn't know any better he might have thought that this second pokemon had lived away from humans. It certainly lacked the gruff yet distinct English quality of the first pokemon's speech.

Ash still couldn't see the pokemon. He only had the sounds of the voices as they circled the camp, arguing amongst themselves. It felt like voices swimming around in his own head.

" _The female has been poking around. They are not just waiting. They could be Rockets."  
_

Ash thought he heard the telltale crackle of electricity. He turned in the direction of the sparks but the pokemon had managed to suppress its momentary discharge. The light in which Ash hoped to identify them by was already gone.

" _I see no emblem."_

" _The Rockets are good at disguises."_

" _Why? … Look. The male injured before. Now he better, we tell Mewtwo to clear storm. They leave as soon as they spot blue skies."_

At the sound of Mewtwo's name, Ash's blood ran cold.

" _Don't be stupid,_ Pikapi _."_

Still reeling from hearing the previous name, Ash almost didn't catch his own nickname passing the pokemon's lips. Thinking the jig must have been up and the pokemon had indeed cornered him, Ash's hand flew to his pokebelt. It was only when the gruff pokemon continued that Ash realized he had been mistaken.

" _You can't count on a human doing anything logical. They are shifty creatures with aims beyond your understanding. Mewtwo is wise to keep the storm up until we know their true intentions."_

" _Not all humans like that. And, I'm tell you, these just lost."_

" _Don't be so sure. That's how they catch you. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life in a pokeball storage system?"_

" _No…"_

" _Good. Then follow my lead."_

Ash pressed himself against the column, wishing he could just melt into it. He could barely hear the pokemon over the pounding in his own chest. If the pokemon looked too closely, they'd surely realize he wasn't as asleep as they had originally assumed.

And sure enough, he didn't have to wait long before one of the creatures dared to wander into view. Just like Ash thought, the pokemon that stealthily crept around their campsite was a pikachu. It was a rather little one too. Ash suspected it must have only recently evolved from a pichu.

And unfortunately, as soon as Ash could see the pikachu, it likewise locked eyes with Ash. They stayed frozen in each other's gaze for a few panic-inducing seconds. They were probably both hoping that one hadn't actually noticed the other.

The little pikachu reacted first, letting out a squeal of panic. _"Bolt, bolt! The male see me!"_

" _Retreat!"_

Before Ash could even reach his first pokeball, the pikachu did what it did best. It released a strong bolt of electricity straight at Ash. Without thinking, Ash threw out his hands. It was as if his ears had suddenly popped. Everything that was out of reach came rushing back. And instead of bracing for the inevitable shock, Ash had encased himself in a shimmering bubble.

The wild pikachu looked on with wide eyes as its attack glanced harmlessly off the bubble's surface. And almost as soon as the bubble had appeared, it popped- leaving Ash blinking stupefied in its wake.

He had never managed to summon a whole bubble around himself before. A shield here or there, sure. He had come close with those pidgey in the woods. But he had also lost consciousness afterward. Now, Ash didn't even feel dizzy. As he stared down at his own still ordinary hands, Ash couldn't help but wonder if he was getting stronger.

" **Welcome back, Ashton,"** said Ash's lips.

Ash couldn't help the smile now. "Mew… "

He didn't have time to enjoy the reunion, however. The frightened little pokemon was now even more frightened than before. It crouched low, trembling, with nervous sparks of electricity dancing across its fur. The pikachu gave Ash one last terrified look before bolting off into the darkness.

"Hey, wait!" Ash cried.

He knew it was foolish, but Ash ran after it. It was probably the only lead to Mewtwo they'd get. Especially now that Ash had blown it and let these little sentry pokemon know just how unordinary they actually were.

Although Ash had no time to inform Misty about what was going on, he knew she had witnessed at least some of it. He could hear her calling out to him and her very obvious and loud footfalls sounded from somewhere behind.

He had run off without a jacket and the caverns were bitter cold once away from the comfort of their campfire. Despite the physical exertion it took to chase after the very quick pikachus, Ash got cold rather quickly. By the time he had come to a fork in the possible trail, Ash was already violently shivering.

He hugged his arms in tight and bounced in place, glancing in both possible directions. His hesitation gave Misty enough time to catch up. She skidded into the small open space, tossing Ash's jacket over his head as she did so. Despite being supposedly asleep for the whole pikachu encounter, she seemed even better prepared for this chase than Ash was.

"Where'd it go?"

Ash hastily slipped his arms back into his warm jacket. He was still cold but at least it wasn't unbearable anymore. He closed his eyes for just a moment, and in that moment a weird feeling came bubbling back up in his chest. He could feel which path they had taken.

Never more certain of anything, Ash pointed confidently at the right fork.

"That way!"

They both took off at a sprint. Misty's flashlight was a lifesaver now being so far from any other light sources. Ash had been extremely lucky he hadn't careened into any stalagmites in his attempt to catch the fleeing pokemon. Her beam of light bounced off the walls as they ran, pausing only briefly when Ash needed to provide a new direction.

They had been running for several minutes. A few days ago, Ash would have thought they surely had lost the pokemon. But Ash was high on the adrenaline of having Mew back at his side. He had been so long without his powers that now he could feel how well they fit. There was no question in his mind that whatever destination they were after was rising up to meet him.

They'd never have been able to track these pokemon without his powers. Ash was leading them through a verifiable maze. _Three left turns and a right through a middle fork and then down a twisty corridor before a sharp right…_ Ash wasn't even sure if they'd be able to find their camp again once all was said and done.

Misty was starting to have a hard time keeping up. Not necessarily through a lack of endurance but rather that Ash's spurt of courage had come with a bit of recklessness. He dove through the cavern as if he had been through there before; dodging around curtain walls, ducking draperies and sliding down flowstones.

But even with as confident as he was, nothing prepared him for what lay around the final bend. Ash stumbled out of the caverns and into an open gallery. Everything was a brilliant white, seemingly carved right out of the ice of the mountain. He might have even thought it was natural if not for the wide, sweeping staircase that dominated the center of the room. His boots skidded on the icy surface he had dashed out onto. With a few arm swings, Ash was just able to keep to his feet.

But as soon as he had caught his breath and had taken stock of his surroundings, Ash finally noticed who else shared the room with him. Ash stopped mid-turn. He thought his heart might have stopped.

Misty ran into Ash from behind, nearly toppling them both. She didn't seem to notice what he had. Although he could tell she was speaking to him, Ash couldn't hear her over the roar in his own ears. She shook his arm, but he ignored her. When Ash still remained unresponsive, she seemed to realize what he was looking at. Her reaction was far more emotive. Misty almost fell over and only her grip on Ash's arm kept her upright.

Standing directly across from them and up a short set of icy looking steps stood the Pokemon from Ash's nightmares. It stood at a slightly more impressive height than either of them but not nearly as immense as Ash imagined. It also seemed to lack all the armor that Gary had described. It appeared more humanoid than any pokemon had any right to, in spite of its horns and long purple tail. And right now, somehow—remarkably—it wasn't looking their way.

The entryway was large and mostly empty, and somehow Mewtwo's attention seemed arrested by something outside its current surroundings. Its tail swayed occasionally but its entire focus seemed to be on the wall, or rather whatever it could see beyond.

"Ash, is that it? Is that Mewtwo?" She whispered urgently in his ear.

Ash was trembling from head to toe. His breath was coming up in short frightened little bursts. He didn't seem capable of filling his lungs anymore. It was taking all of his concentration to just keep breathing.

Misty shook his arm again. He could only stare at her blankly.

"Check your pokedex," Misty hissed, completely misunderstanding his hesitation.

Ash obediently reached into his back pocket. But his hands were shaking so badly that when he did finally pull it out, the device practically flew from his hands. He made a few clumsy swipes to no avail. The pokedexter clattered noisily to the floor in front of them both.

" _Pokemon Unknown. There is no data on this pokemon,"_ chimed the pokedexter cheerfully, giving one of its only remaining audio messages.

Both Ash and Misty winced at the racket Ash had unwittingly caused.

And it was no surprise to either of them, that when they lifted their heads, Mewtwo was looking right back at them both.

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

HE'S HERE! Ten or so years later and we finally meet Mewtwo, guys! I am actually going straight into working on chapter 12 so not only did you get an extra long chapter this update, you can also look forward to another chapter even sooner than normal.

A very special thanks to my beta, **HarunaRei** for helping me with this chapter. It was a long one and one of the big story points of this story so I wanted to make sure I got it right.

Thank you to my reviewers: AshKetchumForever, YumeTakato, juaniu1994, Shaveza and the many guests who reviewed the last chapter.

I'm going to very cheekily reply to one guest review who wrote: "Please tell me they are meeting Mewtwo next chapter..."

They meet Mewtwo next chapter. :)

So look forward to the next update for the April/May timeframe if not sooner. Next time, Ash and company have a 'chat' with Mewtwo. See you then!


	12. Frozen

**Last Time On Hia:  
** Ash and Misty have found Mewtwo at long last.  
Quote: "Well, I guess if I've already died once, then there's nothing to be scared of anymore."

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve:** Frozen

Show yourself!  
I'm no longer trembling  
Here I am, I've come so far  
You are the answer I've waited for all of my life  
Oh show yourself  
Let me see who you are!  
-Idina Menzel

The pokedexter was still blinking uselessly from the floor, unable to pick up any readings on the man-made psychic pokemon that was now staring them down. Mewtwo's gaze was so unbearably cold that Ash felt like he needed to protect himself from its full focus. Not that he could do much of anything at the moment. Ash's limbs were locked rigidly in place, trapped in the pokemon's line of sight. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, trying to pump energy into him, but it was currently reacting badly against his own instincts. His brain was attempting to help in getting him the hell out of there, but his body wouldn't let him move. He remained pinned, frozen in a panicky buzz of terror.

He didn't know if Mewtwo recognized them. It was hard to read emotional cues from any psychic pokemon, much less the world's most powerful one. But in truth, Ash still hadn't worked out if he wanted the pokemon to do so. His mind was still a broken mess of memories that he had yet to reassemble and nowhere in the fragments had it seemed like the two had parted on amicable terms.

If Misty's tight grip on his arm was any indication, she wasn't faring any better. She hadn't any memories to go with the monstrous pokemon before them; stories from Gary, Ash, and Giovanni made up her complete understanding of what they were facing. But most of those stories had been terribly frightening—pretty much all of them, in fact. So while Ash had a very exact fear, marked by half-remembered experiences, Misty had nothing, nothing but the notion that she should be scared. And maybe that was worse.

" **What are you two doing here?"** boomed a voice out of the air.

Ash recognized it immediately. The sound echoing in his head caused the hair to stand on the back of his neck but ultimately, he was unsurprised. After all, he had heard the voice so many times. He knew Mewtwo could speak.

Misty evidently did not.

She screamed and sank to her knees, clutching her ears. "Ah! What is it? What is it! Voice! Terrible voice!"

Mewtwo was unfazed. In fact, he seemed to anticipate Misty's reaction. However, he found Ash's rather curious. He met the young trainer's eyes, ignoring Misty's wails as he continued their conversation.

" **You're not frightened?"**

Ash couldn't speak. He certainly didn't want to give the dangerous pokemon the impression that he was braver than he actually was, but he was too terrified to break free from the spell he was under. He only trembled in response.

Mewtwo tilted his terrible horned head as if amused. **"Curious."**

It was clear whatever distraction their presence had afforded had already run its course. Mewtwo half turned away, ready to abandon whatever encounter this was for something more worth his time and attention.

" **Normally, I would ask how you managed to get here, but you'll have to excuse me. It won't matter much for you in a moment anyway…"** Mewtwo raised his paw, pointing it ominously in their direction. Misty stopped crying immediately. Ash stared in horror as a white glow enveloped pokemon's bulbous appendages. **"Thank you for saving me the trouble of having to find you. Now… allow me to show you out."**

Ash sucked in a breath, realizing too late what Mewtwo planned to do. He felt the white curling the edges of his vision, trying to scrub this encounter from his mind. Ash desperately threw his hands up, trying to block out the burning white spots. Maybe if he didn't look at them, they wouldn't steal his memory.

But almost as soon as the suffocating power had started, it stopped. It dropped around them like a fallen curtain, leaving the two remaining in their present reality. Ash blinked back the spots still in his eyes. Misty climbed hesitantly back to her feet.

"What just happened?" She whispered to Ash weakly.

Ash looked to Mewtwo for an answer. The pokemon was still there, but he had lowered his glowing hand. Ash followed its rather malevolent glare across the room and to the intruder whose presence had inadvertently saved them.

The middle-aged man never looked more out of place. He seemed shrunken without his grand bright-colored suits, having to resort to padded coats and snow pants. He looked confused as if he had only just taken a wrong turn and happened upon this grand gallery. But the flashing device in his hand told a different story. Ash narrowed his eyes at the sight of it. The man had failed to mention he had a more fool-proof method for tracking his old science project down.

" **You,"** Mewtwo's voice hid none of his disdain. It was surprising how much venom the pokemon could push behind a single word.

Giovanni was still sporting a noticeable limp. He favored one leg over the other as he dared to come closer, leaving Ash to wonder how he managed to get here all on his own. And still, he came closer, despite Mewtwo's very threatening tone. While the majority of Giovanni's attention was arrested by Mewtwo's dominating presence, Ash couldn't help but notice that the man's eyes continued to flit worriedly over in their direction.

" **How dare you come here."**

Giovanni slipped the electronic device away into his deep pockets. He licked his lips nervously before getting up the nerve to speak, "Mewtwo, I swear I don't mean you any harm—"

" **Don't come any closer."**

He froze. Once again, he looked in Ash's direction. His eyes were pleading, but Ash had no idea what Giovanni expected from him. Just what exactly could he do in this situation? Put in a good word for the Team Rocket leader with the pokemon who had just tried wiping his mind for a second time?

"I'm here for the kids. Please. Let me just take them and we'll go."

" **They are with you?"**

This was the wrong thing to say. When Mewtwo looked at them again his expression was no longer of polite indifference. He leveled them with an icy and suspicious glare. Ash and Misty both winced under his gaze.

Giovanni wanted Ash to say something. He was still sending him looks, probably wishing he had even the slightest ability to project his thoughts. But Ash remained clueless, only returning the look with the barest shake of his head.

"They are not with me, no. But they are in my charge," Giovanni started again, a desperate edge to his voice. "Just like the pokemon you've—"

But whatever pokemon Giovanni was referring to was left unsaid. It was then that Mewtwo interrupted, his eyes flashing a brilliant shade of violet. Giovanni froze, his face a sudden grimace of pain. He seized on the spot and then, with Mewtwo's slow hand, rose like a marionette to hover a few feet above the ground.

The effect on the other two trainers was immediate. Ash fell backward in fright, not even able to brace his fall properly. He banged his poor arm badly on the frozen floor, causing tears to spring to his eyes. He couldn't blink, couldn't look away as his father was effectively strangled just feet away.

Misty had the hero's reaction that Ash lacked. She dashed forward, snatching at Giovanni's jacket in some vain attempt to pull him back earthward.

"Stop it!" She screamed at the pokemon. "Stop it now!"

Mewtwo again ignored her. He had eyes only for the man wrapped up in his psychic rage.

" **I should have just killed you last time. You never learn. You always come back. Like a cockroach."**

"Mewtwo… I swear…" Giovanni sputtered, fighting to claw at the power that had latched around his throat. But while he could flex his hands, he couldn't move his arms at all. And even Misty's extra weight couldn't bring him back to the ground.

His words only made Mewtwo clench his fist tighter. Giovanni cried out, the invisible force clamping about his midsection and squeezing out any extra breath he had left.

"Mewtwo!" Misty had abandoned her futile attempt to yank Giovanni free. She spun about to face the psychic pokemon, enlarging a familiar purple pokeball in her clenched fist. Misty didn't bother hiding the pokeball from him, brandishing it before her like a weapon.

"I'm only going to warn you once. Let him go!" She shouted.

" **Fool."**

Ash fought against a rush of memories that had just pressed urgently to the forefront of his mind. Mewtwo's word echoed in all of them. His hand flew to his forehead, trying to brace against the sudden throbbing inside his head. But even something as consuming as an abrupt migraine could do little to distract from the show unfolding before him.

Now Misty too was being suspended upward. The pokeball fell from her limp hand and rolled uselessly across the floor. And there, Ash still sat, watching it roll away from him.

He knew what had been expected of him. That's why he had tried to blaze the trail so fiercely. He was the Chosen One. He needed to pick up the mantle and face down whatever the Legendaries decided to point him at. That's how it always worked in the past.

But this was different. This wasn't collecting stones and playing some silly songs. He needed to convince this pokemon to somehow join forces with him. Everyone seemed to think that he'd be able to do this naturally. The only way he could fail would be to not say anything.

And yet, here he was, unable to get any words out at all.

That couldn't be the answer anymore. If he couldn't convince Mewtwo by words… then, he was left with no choice.

He needed to get to that pokeball. Ash looked fretfully between his tortured companions and the forgotten pokeball. It laid directly between the others and Mewtwo. He'd be out in the open. There'd be no way to grab it without being noticed which meant he'd only get one chance. He would have to be faster than Mewtwo.

And Ash just didn't know if that was possible. For the first time in his life, Ash found it almost impossible to try.

Ash was shaking like a leaf as he tried to push himself into a better launching position. He prayed over his knees. _Only one shot. Only one shot. This is what I'm here for._

He cast one last look Misty's way. Her contorted body was too much to look at. It almost made him lose his nerve. There were tears running down her cheeks. Her wide frightened eyes met his own and she seemed to understand what he was planning to do. The " _No_ ," hung clearly on her lips.

 _Only one shot. This is why I'm here._

He really should be used to these sorts of odds by now.

 _This was why I was chosen._

Being the world's most powerful psychic pokemon came with a lot of perks. One of them being that Mewtwo was rarely ever surprised. It was hard to be when your powers were activated through thought alone. He only had to think to follow through and thought was often faster than muscle.

However, not for the first time, Mewtwo had underestimated Ash Ketchum.

The boy who had been cowering away from the others, barely registered as a threat. So consumed with ridding the world of a horrible human being, he took no notice that Ash was now on his feet. Nor did he notice that something had flown overhead until it cracked open behind him.

Out of the red light stepped Charizard; a problem that demanded immediate attention. Mewtwo dropped the two humans, only just managing to shield himself from the fire dragon's powerful flame attack. Mewtwo fell back, eyes flashing as it harnessed the power to return the favor in kind. With his psychic powers, Mewtwo threw the pokemon back with all his might, slamming it against the far wall.

He had assumed he had neutralized the threat. But it was only after the downed Charizard was out of the picture that Mewtwo realized the mistake he had made. When he had turned back to face the human menace, one of the humans was standing directly in front of him. And in his hand, the young man held a purple pokeball. The spongy release button was mere inches from Mewtwo's flesh. Either one of them only had to lean forward to activate its capture beam.

Mewtwo froze. He had no way of knowing what sort of pokeball Ash had at his disposal. But the psychic pokemon was smart enough to be wary of it.

It had gone exactly as Ash had hoped. He was out of breath but triumphant. Misty and Giovanni lay free behind him, no longer at the mercy of Mewtwo's evil psychic energies. And Charizard, while undoubtedly injured, would recover. Ash hated using any of his pokemon as bait but Charizard could take a hit. And he would know to stay down once the deed had been done.

What Ash hadn't planned on was his own conscience. He trembled, staring down the pokemon he had only ever seen as monstrous in his nightmares. He had Mewtwo dead to rights. And yet, he couldn't do it. Maybe it was Mew. Or maybe it was the thought of what had been done to her. These weren't the type of pokemon meant to be contained in pokeballs. And certainly not the kind of pokeball that took away their abilities to fight back.

Ash lowered his hand just slightly. And that was all Mewtwo needed.

With a flick of his wrist, he managed to psychically snatch the pokeball out of Ash's hand and toss it across the room. Ash made a half-hearted swipe for it as it flew away but Mewtwo was faster. The pokemon instantly captured Ash within his psychic grip. Ash felt the air steal straight from his lungs.

"No!" Both Giovanni and Misty cried out. They tried to rush to Ash's side but Mewtwo whirled the young man about in the air, holding the human in front of himself like a makeshift shield.

" **Don't move,"** Mewtwo snapped, and both reluctantly stayed where they were. **"I take no pleasure in hurting you humans but you are leaving me little choice."**

"Oh god, please! Mewtwo, please! Let him go!" Giovanni cried, his voice straining with emotion.

Mewtwo paused, looking between the Team Rocket leader and the young man squirming in his psychic grip.

" **He's important to you."** It wasn't a question. But still, Mewtwo waited for affirmation.

"Yes, please, Mewtwo. I beg of you. Don't hurt him."

The young girl looked just as distraught as Giovanni. She was sobbing but had covered her mouth in order to muffle her own sounds. As if afraid her own distress would add to the young man's suffering.

" **Just** _ **how**_ **important is he to you?"**

"I would do anything, please. Anything you want. Just let him go."

" **Anything?"** Mewtwo sneered. **"Funny how you didn't seem to care when you had me torturing innocent pokemon. You didn't care when you raided my first sanctuary in order to recapture me. You didn't care about my friends that you captured and killed in that raid."**

With each charge that Mewtwo laid against Giovanni, he tightened his grip on Ash. The young man couldn't help but cry out in pain with each increase in pressure. The last squeeze had the boy gasping and coughing as a small amount of blood leaked from the corner of his lips.

Misty had fallen to her knees. Giovanni felt his own legs shaking under him too, especially with his bad ankle. He still hadn't fully recovered from his own psychic torture. His throat felt raw and sore. But for Ash's sake, he tried to stay strong.

"Please, Mewtwo."

" **But this boy? This is what you care for?"** Mewtwo looked between them once more, relaxing his grip just enough for Ash to catch his breath. **"He's your offspring, isn't he?"**

Giovanni didn't want to confirm it. He had been very careful to dance around their relationship so far. But he also knew how unwise it would be to lie. So Giovanni gave a small reluctant nod.

" **I've finally found something the great Giovanni loves,"** said Mewtwo, his voice betraying no triumph or cheer. He glared the young man down, taking in his rebel-like appearance. He certainly looked the sort that might eventually take up with Team Rocket, if he hadn't already. **"I ought to put him out of his misery now. Before he grows up to succeed you."**

"NO!" both humans shrieked again. Now finally, Giovanni was on his knees. He bowed deep before the psychic pokemon, openly weeping. It was all he could think of to do.

Mewtwo watched his pitiful display with no pleasure. And after a moment, gently lowered Ash back to the ground. Mewtwo had set Ash back on his feet but the young man's legs were too weak. He swayed and fell forward, stumbling down the short set of steps, and only just being caught by Misty before he hit the floor. He was breathing hard, gasping and coughing through his first few free breaths, but Misty was relieved to find no lasting damage.

" **That ridiculous pokeball and the device you used to find me here, those are mine now,"** said Mewtwo, looming over them. **"You will leave them behind. Take your son. Leave here and let the memory I allow you to keep remind you what's at stake if you try to find me again."**

Misty had snatched Charizard's pokeball off the floor and quickly returned the dragon as a show of good faith. Then she returned to Ash's side to help him back to his feet.

Giovanni tossed out the tablet device he had been using before, letting it slide across the floor in front of the psychic pokemon. Mewtwo gave the barest nod of approval. With that damage done, Giovanni moved towards the exit, gesturing for the others to follow. Misty stood up, pulling Ash up alongside her.

"No," Ash whispered urgently. "We can't leave yet."

"We don't have a choice."

Misty tried walking after Giovanni but Ash refused to step with her. He was dragging her back.

"Ash, it's over. We can't stay here."

"I have to talk to him."

"We tried that already!" Misty didn't mean to snap. She lowered her voice as she continued, "You tried your best. But Mewtwo isn't someone you can just talk to. He's too dangerous."

"I _have_ to talk to him."

"Ash, look what he did to you! You can barely walk."

Ash shook his head but he no longer tried to pull her back. He picked up his feet, at last, walking obediently alongside her. But she should have known better. As soon as they had made it a few steps, Ash yanked himself free from her arms.

"No, stop!"

Misty's cry turned Giovanni's head. He had thought the others were just behind him. But now, he watched in horror as Ash broke free from Misty and sprinted straight back at Mewtwo.

Ash had made it to the bottom of the steps when Mewtwo's gaze captured him again. Ash felt the glow encase his body, trying to lift him off the ground. Ash fought against the weightlessness by kicking out his feet. The bottoms of his shoes just scraped the surface of the stairs.

" **Do you have a death wish?"** Mewtwo asked the boy mildly.

"I have to talk to you!" Ash shouted.

Mewtwo sniffed dismissively. **"I have no desire to talk to you,"** he said and with a flick of his wrist sent the boy tumbling backward across the floor. Misty ran to where Ash had fallen but he was back on his feet before she could touch him. Already, he was running back to Mewtwo.

This time he had managed to climb two steps before Mewtwo caught him.

" **Will you desist?"**

"I said, I have to talk to you."

" **And I told you, I am not interested."** He tossed him again, this time sending the young man flying into the woman who had been standing just behind. They both collapsed in a heap a sizable distance away. Mewtwo felt pretty confident that he had gotten his point across at last. He let out a disappointed sigh when the young man had managed, somehow, to claw his way back to his feet again.

" **You are infuriatingly stubborn."** He hadn't even allowed Ash the chance to approach this time, freezing the boy in place. He strained against the psychic power to no avail.

Mewtwo's problems lay with the father, not the son. He really didn't want to kill the human for simply being annoying. So, Mewtwo decided it would be better if he just left himself. Maybe if he were out of sight, the other humans would be able to get their companion under control.

The young man seemed to realize what Mewtwo planned to do. He started yelling and straining harder. And remarkably, for the barest of moments, Mewtwo actually felt his hold weaken. He might have thought he imagined it, had not the young man taken a single step forward.

" **What?"**

"I said," Ash grunted, his eyes flashing ice blue. "I need…" Ash managed one step forward "to talk…" two steps "to you."

Mewtwo immediately snagged what was left of his grip and swung the boy into the wall- as callous as squashing a bug. For all his ability to break free from a psychic hold, Ash was no match for the wall. He collapsed, effectively rendered senseless by the blow.

Mewtwo stared down the young man's crumpled form, paw raised just in case he decided to get up again. The pokemon only relaxed when the young woman had reached Ash's side. She dragged his limp body into her arms, crying and cursing in one breath. Mewtwo noticed the boy's nose was bleeding, probably broken. Well, he might have felt bad if the kid hadn't forced his hand.

Mewtwo's eyes flicked in Giovanni's direction. The Team Rocket leader was still frozen by the exit, having watched all this unfold from the sidelines. When he noticed Mewtwo's eyes on him, he jumped with a start.

" **Take your son away,"** Mewtwo snarled at him.

"Ah yes, yes." came his meek reply.

But before Giovanni could even take a single step towards where the others lay, a voice cut through the gallery. It was soft and weak but Mewtwo could have no doubt of who was speaking.

"Please…" Ash moaned from Misty's arms. He reached out his hand as if he could possibly stop the pokemon from leaving. "Please stop. I need to… talk…"

Mewtwo ignored him. It unnerved him that the human boy was already conscious again. But he didn't plan to wait around for him to recover. He moved to leave and the boy continued to make noise. His pleas only got louder the further away Mewtwo got. Mewtwo climbed the steps, wishing he wouldn't regret slamming the boy into another wall. And he kept going, nearly abandoning them to the depths of his ice palace...

Until the boy screamed out a startlingly loud "STOOOOP!"

And Mewtwo stopped.

It took a lot to surprise a psychic pokemon of Mewtwo's caliber. But that scream… Mewtwo could feel his arms shaking. He turned about slowly.

The young man still hung in his female friend's arms, breathless and nearly in tears. She was doing a good job holding him at bay. Blood was streaming freely from his nose. And still, he reached for him with a hand grabbing uselessly at the air.

Mewtwo waved his paw. A gust of psychic wind blew over both humans. They braced themselves against it, expecting it to be another attack that'd toss them from the room. Both were surprised instead when Ash's bright hair shimmered from white back to its natural shade of black. Misty's hair too, returned to its original shade. As big as their surprise was when seeing each other restored from their disguises, it was nothing compared to how Mewtwo felt seeing them.

The pokemon fell back against the railing, looking a little sick.

" **No, it can't be."**

Sensing that something had changed, Misty let Ash climb back to his unsteady feet. Nor did she try to stop him as he shakily staggered over to the bottom of the staircase.

Ash straightened himself up best he could and tried to wipe the blood off on his sleeve. It was a poor attempt at looking dignified.

"My name is Ash Ketchum," Ash said. "And I think… we met before."

Mewtwo had to wonder why the human didn't lead with that. His only reply was to stare. And the staring went on long enough that it made Ash uncomfortable. He looked back at his companions who only shrugged in response.

"Mewtwo, I'm here because I need your help," Ash tried again. "We didn't want to fight… I'm sorry for trying to capture you. I wasn't thinking. And I was scared."

" **You don't remember."**

"Huh?"

" **You don't remember me, do you?"**

Ash sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, only a little surprised by how sore he was. He had been tossed around more than once in the last hour or so.

"Uh, not exactly," he said.

" **Not exactly?"**

"I've had dreams. Bits and pieces have come back to me. And Mew said-"

" **Mew? You've spoken to Mew?"**

Ash frowned. He looked uncertainly back at the others before addressing Mewtwo. He let out a big sigh and nodded.

"Technically," Ash said, his eyes returning to that eerie shade of blue, "I am Mew now."

Mewtwo stared again. Ash couldn't read anything from his flat emotionless face. Mostly, he just looked perpetually annoyed. So even when his eyes looked like they were about to bug out of his eye sockets he still appeared impassive.

" **This… this is a lot to take in."**

"Tell me about it," Misty called from over Ash's shoulder.

" **We will… we will have to talk,"** The psychic pokemon actually sounded breathless, if it were possible for thoughts to require air. Ash suspected that Mewtwo was just having a hard time collecting himself. From what little Ash had seen of him thus far, Mewtwo seemed the sort of pokemon who never let himself be caught unaware. He found strength in calm and focus. And Ash had done everything in his power to shatter that for him.

He might have felt at least a little guilty about that if Mewtwo hadn't tossed him into a wall.

Mewtwo turned back up the stairs and beckoned the others to follow.

" **Follow me and stay close, for I will have to warn the others of your stay."**

Ash stumbled up the staircase. Thankfully, Misty was quick at his elbow, ready to help. Despite his show of strength earlier, Ash felt bone-tired. He sagged gratefully against her, hoping that a bed or a chair might not be far from where they were going.

"What others?" Ash called, once he had fallen into a comfortable pace with Misty.

" **You'll see,"** came the psychic pokemon's cryptic reply.

Ash and Misty exchanged looks. But they started up the stairs again with Giovanni trailing close behind.

"Well," Misty remarked brightly as they reached the first landing and turned to take the second. "That actually went better than I expected."

* * *

To Be Continued…  
Please Read and Review!

Special thanks to my beta reader, **Haruna Rei** , for helping out with this chapter too.

I'm releasing this now for you guys cause Animal Crossing is coming out in less than 8 days and I am prepared to sit out this Coronavirus panic with my animal peeps on a deserted island.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks to YumeTakato, juaniu1994, nami, Ashora, and Shaveza for your lovely reviews. You guys are so sweet!

Nami asked if Ashes was on hiatus. Yes, it is. But only for a little while. I'm trying to get Mystery of Me finished since its events directly affect the story of Here I Am. I am planning to pick it up again as soon as I am finished with Mystery of Me. I'm sorry cause I know it's got a lot of fans. But I knew I needed to focus on getting some of the stories finished and Ashes wasn't a priority.

It's also currently at a safe stopping point. Not a horrible cliffhanger, so I figured it would be okay to not update it for a bit.

Love you all. I'll see you all next chapter when Ash, Mew and Mewtwo reconnect after all these years. Expect the next update sometime in the June/July time frame.

Please stay safe everyone. Wash your hands for 15-20 secs and use appropriate hand sanitizer!


End file.
